Women�s team sets eyes on Banyana Banyana
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday March 22, 2016 14:01
Botswana advanced to the second stage after trouncing hapless Mauritius 4-0 on Saturday to advance to the second round with 10-0 aggregate score. A brace from former Under-20 captain, Refilwe Tholakele and goals each from Thuso Leseane and Thuto Ramafifi ensured a victory for the local girls.
“They (Mauritius) came looking for an early goal, we expected that from them,” Nkutlwisang told Mmegi Sport yesterday. “After we scored the two goals in the first half they got frustrated and were rough on challenges, the referee did not call for most of their fouls. They forced us to play the kind of football we did not want to play.”
She added: “Unlike Mauritius, South Africa depends on power play, they have a good reaction time and mostly importantly they like to control ball possession.
So we are going to look at the games we have played against them, to see where we really lost the games, that will put us in a better position against them this time.”
She said she believes they will be well prepared for their opponents as they now have a younger squad who are hungry for success unlike in the past meetings between the two neighbouring rivals.
The team set new scoring records by a local team in international matches against Mauritius who only made their debut against Botswana with 6-0 loss a fortnight ago in the first round.
However, Gaolethoo refused to put it on their opponent’s inexperience but rather credited her players’ hard work.
“We have been working on our finishing for a long time now, so it was bound to come sooner or later,” she said.
“Our players now have the composure when they get in to the box, even their game has also improved. We create a lot of chances now, our players just need to improve their timing when they go for challenges.”
Botswana has never won against South Africa in friendly or official matches.
The last time two teams met, the local girls were hammered 10-0 in a friendly in September last year.