Banyana
Banyana finished off a highly successful 2012 women’s football campaign, by
thrashing Botswana 3-0 in an international friendly played at the Moruleng
Stadium near Rustenburg on Monday, 10 December 2012.
The
Sasol-sponsored national senior women’s team were 2-0 at halftime, in a match
staged to mark the North West Provincial Government’s campaign aimed at raising
awareness during the 16 Days of Activism against Women and Child Abuse.
Tall
Mamelodi Sundowns (Sasol League Gauteng) striker Andiswe Mgcoyi opened the
scoring from a tight angle on the left hand side of the Botswana penalty area
in the 11th minute. Mgcoyi’s club-mate, midfielder Refiloe Jane, celebrated her
17th national cap by scoring her first goal for Banyana Banyana, by way of a
header from a corner-kick in the 22nd minute.
Second
half substitute, striker Noko Matlou made her presence felt by scoring from
close range 15 minutes into the second half.
Banyana
Banyana national coach Joseph Mkhonza used the match played in hot conditions,
to give as many players game time as possible with midfielders in Presocious
Matabologa and Maile Makola both earning their first international caps.
This
was the first time that the Southern African neighbours had met since last
year’s All_Africa Games qualifiers, which saw Botswana stun the South Africans
1-0 in Polokwane before Banyana Banyana crushed their opponents 4-0 on an
artificial pitch in Gaborone to advance to the African showpiece held in
Mozambique in September 2011.
The
South Africans, without the services of captain Amanda Dlamini (who was given
some time off) and Amanda Sister (family commitments) dominated all phases of
the 90 minutes of play.
“The
match was the perfect platform to try out some of the newcomers to the Banyana
Banyana team and Safa and Sasol need to be commended for the support shown to
women’s football in a year which has seen the national team compete at the
London Olympics and make the final of the CAF African Women Championship 2012
held in Equatorial Guinea last month,” said Mkhonza.
“The
players will get a well-deserved break over the Festive season and return
refreshed next year to prepare for the 12-nation Cyprus Women’s Cup tournament
to be in March.”
