Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Andile Dlamini has shed light on what her team-mates can expect when South Africa face Sweden in their opening fixture of the Fifa Women’s World Cup on Sunday morning. This is what she says:
The game will mark Banyana’s second appearance at the global championships after their debut in France four years ago. Dlamini is expected to start in goal on Sunday for her 70th cap.
The 30-year-old Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper, wh alongside Thembi Kgatlana, are vice captains to Refiloe Jane, was the second choice keeper in Banyana’s debut World Cup in 2019.There’s a lot of nerves and anxiety. For some of the players, it’s their first World Cup. We just want to do well in our first game. So, we are looking to the game against Sweden.
A CAF C coaching licence holder, Dlamini gave details of what can help Banyana overcome the thrid-ranked Swedish side.Sweden are a very good team and in order for us to excel on the day, we need to bring in our A-game, make sure that we stay compact, and don’t allow them passes in between. They are very clinical when it comes to them penetrating and they just take a shot at goal. So, we need to make sure that we cut down [their] crosses because they are taller than us.
This saw the team boycotting a send-off match against Botswana, which resulted in Safa putting together a makeshift team to honour the game at the Tsakane Stadium in Ekurhuleni last month.But it appears that the players are in competition mode. Banyana are heading into the tournament at the back of a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in a warm-up game in Hamilton last weekend."We understand where we are at. The World Cup is the highest stage of women’s football," said Dlamini.
As a parting shot, Dlamini cautioned the African champions not to"take the past into the present" because this a different tournament. Banyana also have Argentina and Italy in Group C.
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