We have been here before, facing the the stumbling block that is Nigeria.
The South African women’s national team, Banyana Banyana, will have to beat Nigeria at the Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria on Friday if they are to represent Africa at the Olympic Games in Greece.
Banyana Banyana’s six previous attempts to beat the Super Falcons have amounted to naught. But there finally seems to be a glimmer of hope.
Banyana Banyana team manager Fran Hilton Smith said: ‘Nigeria is one hurdle we have never managed to cross, but if ever there was a time to beat the Super Falcons it is now, as they are not doing well.â€
Supporting Smith’s statement is the fact that the Nigerians have struggled to reach this stage after drawing twice with Ghana at home and away and needing penalties to reach the final.
Smith, also a former coach of the team, added that if South Africa intend to go to the Olympics they need to beat Nigeria here on Friday. It will be difficult to beat the Nigerians in their own country — they are experts at mind games.
Banyana Banyana coach Gregory Mashilo said: ‘Our chance to beat Nigeria is now, we need to close the gap between us and Nigeria, as Ghana has exposed the Super Falcons’ shortcomings.â€
To ensure that Banyana Banyana beat Nigeria on Friday night, they have even enlisted the services of a psychologist, who, it is hoped, will boost the spirit of the South African players.
The chief operations officer of the South African Football Association, Albert Mokoena, said that previous defeats against Nigeria will become a thing of the past and that it is not impossible to beat the Nigerians.
The importance of this game has led to the association calling on the people of Pretoria to come out in great numbers to support Banyana Banyana as they try to beat the Nigerians for the first time.