The South Africa women’s soccer team, Banyana Banyana, hammered Mozambique 6-2 in their first African Women’s Championship qualifier in front of a capacity crowd at the free-entry Caledonian Stadium in Tshwane on Saturday afternoon.
Banyana Banyana led 3-0 at half-time.
After controlling the game throughout the first half, Banyana midfielder Kylie Louw scored the opening goal, followed by Disebo Mametja, before captain Portia Modise hammered the third goal in favour of the home team.
It was almost a walkover in the second half when Modise completed her hat-trick and Gugu Gabuza also added her name to the score sheet, increasing the tally to six. Mozambique replied with two goals to prove that they too could score, but it was too little, too late.
In two weeks’ time, Banyana Banyana will go to Mozambique for their return match. If coach Augustine Makalakalane’s women do well, they stand a chance of playing either Tanzania or Uganda towards the end of July.
According to Fran Hilton-Smith, head of women’s football administration at the South African Football Association (Safa), only two teams from the group will qualify for the finals in Gabon in September/October.
Furthermore, from this African competition only two teams (the winners and runners-up) will qualify for the 2007 Women’s World Cup in China.
Meanwhile, Banyana Banyana finally gave Safa officials something to smile about after poor performances by their male counterparts in recent times. — Sapa