Ntuthuko Maphumulo soccer Banyana Banyana will be hoping to emulate the South African men’s team, Bafana Bafana, by winning the African Nations Cup in front of their home fans but Lady Luck might not be on Banyana’s side.
In 1996 the Super Eagles of Nigeria did not defend their men’s African Cup of Nations title in South Africa, and Bafana won the cup in Johannesburg.
However, the Nigerian women’s team, the Super Falcons, are determined to remain the queens of African football.
Banyana will be out for revenge after a 7-1 drubbing by the Super Falcons in 1994 in the World Cup qualifiers. They have already avenged a 4-1 drubbing by Ghana by beating the West Africans 1-0 in the semifinals of the African Nations Cup at Vosloorus stadium on Tuesday.
Continental champions Nigeria showed their superiority at Makhulong stadium on the same day, handing out a 6-0 lesson to the Mighty Warriors of Zimbabwe.
Banyana manager Fran Hilton-Smith and the players were hoping for a final against Nigeria and they got what they wanted with Saturday’s game a promoter’s dream match.
The tournament has lived up to expectations of the supporters, who have been hungry to see a South African style of soccer known as “Diski” being played. The Banyana team have earned the support of the fans by playing entertaining soccer and also by winning all their group A games.
The first team to be overcome in Banyana’s march to the final were Runion (3-0), followed by Uganda (3-0), Zimbabwe (2-1) and then Ghana who gave the home side a run for their money.
Nigeria faced a tougher ride to the finals, being in the stronger “group of death”. Their first match saw them draw 3-3 with Ghana, then the Super Falcons took ominous flight, downing Morocco (6-0), then Cameroon (3-0) and crushing Zimbabwe 6-0 in the semifinals.
Joanne “Shibobo” Solomon promised before the tournament started that South Africa would win the cup. She played her part in trying to deliver on the promise with a goal in the 13th minute against Ghana.
The fans just went crazy, the officials attending the match also went crazy and even Minister of Sport and Recreation Ngconde Balfour could be heard bellowing “Clear the ball” at the Banyana defence in the dying minutes.
After the match a jubilant Balfour said: “It is amazing, it’s wonderful they’ve not been given a chance before to show their talent and now they have proven themselves.”
Banyana coach “Shakes” Mashaba was almost speechless with delight. “I am happy to be in the finals,” he said, and confirmed he would not tamper with the winning combination for the final.
Hilton-Smith said: “A win against the Super Falcons will be the cherry on top and the girls are ready to win.”
Vosloorus stadium has become the slaughterhouse for most of the African teams that play South Africa there, and a stronghold for Mashaba.
First it was the national men’s under-23 team’s stadium where they qualified for the Olympic Games in Sydney under his guidance and now he will be hoping his luck holds and Banyana lift the cup.
The play-off for third place will also be at Vosloorus on Friday, between the Mighty Warriors of Zimbabwe and the Black Queens of Ghana.
The championship has come to South African soccer fans free, but the two-week tournament has cost the South African Football Association (Safa) R2,1-million so far.
Safa CEO Danny Jordaan confirmed the losses, but was quick to point out: “The reason to host the tournament was to profile women’s soccer and the objective was not to make any profit.”
Jordaan says the tournament is laying foundations for a sustainable growth of women’s soccer within the country and continent. Safa will also be looking at trying an under-14 girls’ soccer competition.
Banyana players stand to receive financial incentives if they win the tournament, he says.