By Ntokozo Magongo
MBABANE – Following the remarkable 6-0 triumph over Seychelles in the COSAFA Women’s Championships, the National Women’s Football team coach, Bongani Makhukhula, has asserted that South Africa’s Banyana Banyana will present a more formidable challenge.
The two teams are set to clash on Friday afternoon in the second match of Group A, with Sitsebe currently leading the table on goal difference after their historic victory. Banyana Banyana also secured a narrow 1-0 win against Namibia in their opening match.
“It is evident that our next opponents will be considerably tougher, but we will return to the drawing board to strategise on how best to counter their attacks. We were not truly tested defensively against Seychelles, yet I have faith in our players’ capabilities,” he stated.
Makhukhula noted that they were prepared to defend against Seychelles, as they were uncertain of what to expect. However, upon observing that Seychelles were also adopting a defensive stance, they opted to adopt an attacking approach, resulting in two goals in the first half.
“In the second half, we elevated our performance significantly. The intensity increased, which forced our opponents into making errors, and that proved advantageous for us,” he explained.
Makhukhula expressed that their participation in the tournament aims to showcase the girls’ talents, with the hope that they will eventually secure lucrative contracts with other teams as they gain exposure.
He mentioned that following their victory, the team experienced a morale boost as they head into the final two group matches against South Africa and Namibia.
He also shared that he is relatively new to the Sitsebe setup, having previously worked with the Under-17 team. He expressed pride in the squad for their determination and effort on his behalf. Despite the limited preparation time ahead of the tournament, he affirmed that they are diligently working to improve.
Makhukhula concluded by highlighting that many players possess considerable international experience, and he has previously collaborated with several of them before they joined Young Buffaloes Ladies, who dominate the squad.
