Banyana Banyana get their qualification campaign underway for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games when they face Madagascar in the first leg of their second round CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifier at Toyota Stadium on Friday evening.
South Africa enter the tie at this stage after receiving a bye in the opening round. The African qualification campaign consist of five knockout rounds, with two teams ultimately earning places at the 2028 Olympic Games.
The fixture comes after a demanding 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco, where Banyana Banyana were eliminated by the hosts in the quarter-finals. They responded with a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the subsequent play-off, keeping their 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification hopes alive.
Head Coach Desiree Ellis has retained much of the squad that featured at WAFCON, with experienced internationals such as Thembi Kgatlana, Linda Motlhalo, Refiloe Jane and Andile Dlamini included in the 24 player squad. The squad features a mix of experienced internationals and returning players as Banyana Banyana begin their Olympic qualifying campaign against Madagascar.
Kgatlana will again be one of South Africa’s main attacking threats. Her pace and ability to make runs behind the defensive line could prove important as Banyana look to break down Madagascar and establish an advantage in the opening leg.
Madagascar, meanwhile, arrive having progressed from the previous round after defeating South Sudan 2-1 on aggregate. They will be looking to remain compact and disciplined while attempting to exploit opportunities to remain competitive.
For Banyana Banyana, patience in possession and efficiency in the final third will be key. With the qualification tie decided over two matches, South Africa will want to combine attacking intent with defensive discipline and avoid giving Madagascar opportunities to remain in contention.
Captain Refiloe Jane emphasised the importance of making the first leg count, with the team determined to avoid putting themselves under unnecessary pressure ahead of the return fixture.
“It’s going to be important to make sure that in the first leg we do so well, we get the important results because we don’t want to put ourselves under pressure”, said Jane.
The captain also stressed the need for the team to remain focused on the immediate task rather than looking too far ahead in the qualification journey.
“We can’t get ahead of ourselves, it’s a long journey”, she said, highlighting the importance of taking the campaign “one game at a time”.
Midfielder Isabella Ludwig echoed the importance of securing a positive result in the opening match, explaining that a strong first-leg performance could give the technical team greater flexibility in managing the squad and approaching the second encounter.
“It’s important obviously to get a good result,” said Ludwig. “It allows the coaches the opportunity to rotate the squad and try new tactics”.
The return to camp has also provided the squad with an opportunity to reconnect ahead of an important period in the National team calendar. Ludwig said the atmosphere in camp has been positive after the players had spent some time apart.
“It’s been good. We haven’t been in camp for a while, so I think everybody is happy to see one another because we know it’s a big game ahead,” she said.
For Jane, qualification for the Olympics carries significance beyond simply securing a place at another major tournament. She believes reaching the Olympic stage can also contribute to the continued growth and development of women’s football in South Africa.
“It’s important to qualify. We know when we play big tournaments, it opens doors for more players for the development of women’s football in our country,” Jane explained.
Ludwig also underlined the squad’s determination to achieve that objective, saying qualification remains firmly at the centre of the team’s mind-set.
“The goal and the mind-set is that we need to qualify for the Olympics,” she said.
With both legs of the tie scheduled to take place at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, Banyana Banyana will have home conditions for both encounters. The return fixture will take place on Tuesday, 13 October.
Banyana Banyana will therefore look to make the most of Friday’s opening leg by producing a controlled performance, taking their chances and putting themselves in a favourable position before the second meeting.
Comments
Post a Comment