Women�s Team Go Down Fighting
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Monday April 11, 2016 14:58
The game was evenly contested right from the start with the local side giving the visiting team little respect.
Captain, Bonang Otlhagile commanded the midfield and competed well against her South African opponents while Tlamelo Motlhale was solid at the back and made several timely interventions.
The only undoing for the home team was committing silly errors which could have seen South Africa taking the lead in the first half.
Botswana goalkeeper, Sedilame Bosija failed to make a save from the corner 12 minutes into the game and South African defender, Noko Matlou nearly punished her with a powerful header but the effort went narrowly wide.
Botswana made another terrible mistake at the back moments later, but South Africa’s Sanah Mollo failed to capitalise.
Thuto Ramafifi, who usually plays upfront, spent most of the time on the wings. Botswana tried to test South African goalkeeper as well towards the end of the first half, but she was equal to the task.
South Africa upped the game in the second half and took control of the match.
The home side looked fatigued in the middle of the second half and it was not long before Banyana Banyana took the lead through Mollo.
Her shot cannoned off the upright before it hit Botswana’s goalkeeper on the back on its way in. Three minutes later, Mollo completed her brace following Botswana goalkeeper’s failure to handle what should have been an easy ball.
Botswana tried to push numbers upfront to try and pull one back, but found South African defence led by captain, Janine van Wyk very solid.
Botswana coach, Gaoletlhoo Nkutlwisang was happy with her players’ overall performance despite the defeat. She said her players dropped the pace in the second half. “That is where they hit us. The South African side is experienced and this also worked for them. Our intention was to push them and get a goal, but we could not,” she said.
Banyana Banyana coach, Vera Pauw congratulated the local team for their performance despite the loss.
“It was a tough game. Botswana is getting stronger and stronger every time we play against them. We knew they will be prepared for this game and they are physically strong. A win for us away from home is good,” she said.
Botswana: Sedilame Bosija, Tlamelo Motlhale, Kesegofetse Mochawe, Masego Montsho, Kgomotso Molefe, Lebogang Setereke, Bame Ngenda (Thuso Leseane), Bonang Otlhagile , Refilwe Tholakele, Nondi Mahlasela, Thuto Ramafifi
South Africa: Roxanne Barker, Janine van Wyk, Nothando Vilakazi, Noko Matlou, Mamello Makhabane, Amanda Dlamini, Sindile Ngubani, Sanah Mollo, Refiloe Jane, Leandra Smeda, Nompumelelo Nyandeni
Botswana 0
SA (0) 2 (Sanah Mollo 69th, 72nd)