Banyana Banyana have vowed to bring their ‘A’ game when they face Nigeria in a crucial FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier playoff at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Thursday, 13 August.
The two nations were knocked out of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) in the quarter-finals, thereby missing out on the four automatic World Cup qualification places.
Lifeline
They have, however, been given a lifeline by featuring in the playoffs that will take the winner into a long and difficult route to securing tickets to South America for the women’s football global showpiece next year.
“It’s not the place we want to be but we’ve been given another opportunity, a very big opportunity to go on a very long journey. We obviously have to bring our A game, there’s no margin for error, the disappointment of losing the previous game is going to probably drive us to get a positive result. It’s not going to be an easy game, two big guns of African football, not where we want to be and one of us not going further ahead to qualify for the World Cup.
“It’s a big game for us, we know how big it is, the players know how big it is, I’m sure Nigeria know how big it is, we just have to do what we have to do, we just have to execute our plans and make sure that we are victorious at the end of the day,” said coach Desiree Ellis.
‘Crucial match’
The two women’s football giants last met at the previous edition of the WAFCON, with the Super Falcons winning the clash en route to lifting their 10th continental title.
But things have changed and both sides are now fighting for a spot to the next phase of the playoff qualifiers.
Speaking to the media in Casablanca, Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane said they will leave everything on the field to ensure that they are victorious.
“It will be a crucial match for the team, we came here with an objective to qualify for the World Cup, and we would have liked to qualify the first time given the first opportunity, but things didn’t go our way. We keep our heads up high, we have another opportunity to do so, so our focus is on the next match, to try and give it our all to continue on this journey.
“The rivalry against Nigeria goes back over the years, we just have to believe and put in the work, and we have shown in the past that we can do it. It’s a real do or die, and we want to leave the field knowing we have given it our all,” said Jane.
South Africa and Nigeria meet at 22:00 SA time, with the Ivory Coast and Ghana contesting the other playoff spot at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium at 19:00 (SA time).
Prediction
Banyana Banyana 1-2 Nigeria
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