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Banyana Banyana begin their 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations campaign with a tough Group C opener against defending champions and perennial nemesis Nigeria in Rabat on Monday July 4, 18:00 hours WAT
It is the start of the path to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and coach Des Ellis’ side must finish in the top four in Morocco to qualify automatically and avoid tough inter-continental play-offs. Playing Nigeria in opener of AWCON will set off the tone of the competition and she has a clear plan on how to successfully execute the game.
The Game Plan
Ellis has set a game plan for Monday's Classico, following the backdrop of how her team overran the Nigerian star studded Super Falcons last September 2021 at the maiden edition of Aisha Burhari Cup. That game may have open Ellis' eyes to the weak points of this Nigerian side that has dominated women football in Africa for so long.
She has planned to play 4-2-3-1 formation and has selected players who are very mobile and versatile to change rolls as the game progresses. The game plan is to out number the Super Falcons in the middle with players who can go for quick recovery of the ball right from the opponent's half. The game plan is not to allow the Falcons to build up their game at any point.
Ellis has named her squad, which is at full-strength, bar the absence of winger Gabriela Salgado due to injury. she has favoured youthful and tenacious players to some notable aging players
Here are five players she will rely on heavily for success at the continental opener.
Thembi Kgatlana:
Kgatlana’s game is all about pace and skill and she must be one of the quickest forwards in the women’s game.
She is able to run in behind defences and also has a rocket shot, as she showed in both the last women’s Cup of Nations in 2018, and with her goal against Spain in the 2019 World Cup in France.
The 26-year-old was a teammate of Motlhalo in Houston and Beijing, but also played for Benfica in Portugal, and Spanish clubs Eibar and Atletico Madrid.
She is a player with a real x-factor and a huge weapon for Banyana. Will be playing a one woman striker upfront.
Jermaine Seoposenwe:
Seoposenwe, the winger/forward, makes a return to the national side after three years and also having just left Portuguese side Sporting Braga.
The 28-year-old will be a welcome, experienced attacking addition to the squad having made her national team debut all the way back in 2010.
She has plenty of running in her and can deliver fantastic balls from wide areas, having also featured for Real Betis in Spain. Seoposenwe will be running deep from the upper midfield to support the attacking moves and back to the middle.
Refiloe Jane
Jane is the anchor in the midfield and a player with the vision to unlock any defence. She was discovered at the Gauteng Future Championships competition in 2009 as a 16-year-old and quickly became a fixture in the national team.
She played for Mamelodi Sundowns before later moving to Australian side Canberra United, and then AC Milan in Italy, where she has spent the last three seasons.
She has opted not to renew with the club and will be hoping a strong showing in Morocco catches the eye of the bigger teams in Europe. Refiloe combination with Motlhato can breakdown any defence line. She will be playing deep behind Motlhato
Linda Motlhalo:
Motlhalo has all the silky skills to run any midfield and now has vast experience after playing overseas, adding great football intelligence to her game.
Former Banyana coach Vera Pauw said Motlhalo could become one of the leading players in the world given her ability, and while that has not happened yet, she is still only 23 and has plenty of growth left in her.
She has already played in the best league in the world, the National Women’s Soccer League with Houston Dash, and turned out for Beijing BG Phoenix in China and current Swedish club Djurgardens.
She certainly has goals in her game but is also a creator for others. Motlhalo is positioned to be the playmaker of the team, dictating the pace of the game and starting attack with possible supply of long passes to Kgatlana.
Noko Matlou:
Matlou is still going strong at the age of 36 and remains a cornerstone of the backline for Banyana, having started her international career as a feared striker.
It was on that basis that she was named African Women's Footballer of the Year in 2008, but over time has moved further back down the pitch and is now an accomplished centre-back.
She spent the last two seasons at Spanish side Eibar, though they were relegated from the top division at the end of the 2021/22 season. Motlou is a great leader and will be organising the play of the defence line.
