Banyana Banyana Draw in First Leg Olympic Qualifier Against DR ...

Banyana Banyana settled for a 1-1 draw in the opening match of the 2024 CAF Women’s Olympic qualifier against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, played at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa on a Wednesday afternoon.

At the beginning of the game, the Congolese team displayed their dominance, launching a series of attacks. The visiting goalkeeper, Kaylin Swart, showcased her skills by denying the hosts from finding the back of the net. However, the home side’s persistence paid off in the 48th minute when Grace Mfwamba skillfully netted the first goal of the match.

“We wanted to make sure that we came away with a positive result away from home, and we had a completely new backline.” Banyana Banyana Head Coach, Desiree Ellis

The South African senior women’s team faced a challenging task in their quest for the crucial equaliser. Despite Thembi Kgatlana’s impressive runs, they had limited success. As the first half concluded, Coach Desiree Ellis’ team found themselves trailing 1-0, requiring a strong effort to bounce back.

In the second half, the visiting team displayed a significant improvement in their performance. Kgatlana emerged once more as the key player to secure the vital breakthrough. She brilliantly netted a goal from a well-executed cross by Nicole Michael, levelling the score for South Africa in the 48th minute.

Although both teams had several opportunities, the second half failed to yield any further goals, resulting in a level score as the match concluded.

Coach Desiree Ellis expressed her satisfaction with her team’s performance after the game, particularly considering the necessity to field some players in positions that were not their usual roles.

“There were two 21-year-olds, one 20-year-old and one 22-year-old, and they were playing together for the first time. So I am very happy. I thought we could have won this game because we had a couple of chances, especially later in the match. But I am happy with the result.”

Banyana Banyana holds a slight edge due to their away goal, but they anticipate a formidable challenge when they face the Congolese team in the second leg at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Monday, 30 October 2023.

Main Photo Caption: Banyana Banyana settled for a 1-1 draw in the opening match of the 2024 CAF Women’s Olympic qualifier against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, played at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa on a Wednesday, 25 October, 2023. Photo: Banyana Banyana on Instagram

Tags: 2024 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifier, Banyana Banyana, Brand South Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Desiree Ellis, DR Congo, Football, Grace Mfwamba, gsport, gsport Newsroom, gsport4girls, head coach, Kaylin Swart, Momentum, Nicole Michael, Orlando Stadium, soccer, South African Senior Women’s Football Team, Soweto, Stade des Martyrs, Telkom, Thembi Kgatlana

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