Sport

Going for gold: Banyana out to beat hosts Morocco in Wafcon final

Matthew Marcus|Published

POSITIVE VIBES: Pysched Banyana

Banyana Banyana will fight for their maiden Women’s African Cup of Nations (Wafcon) crown against hosts Morocco on Saturday at 10pm.

Coach Desiree Ellis’s team is looking to rewrite history by becoming the fist South African side to win it, after securing a sixth final appearance.

With the Hanover Park legend, who was up for Confederation of African Football (Caf) women’s football Coach of the Year prize against her opposite number Reynald Pedros on Thursday night’s Caf Awards, and her squad missing out on the title in the 2018 final on penalties against Nigeria, they won’t be short on motivation.

MISSION: Keeper Andile Dlamini

Add to that a R17.5m jackpot for the winners announced by organisers the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and the promise of R400 000 from Safa, the squad are not playing for spek en boontjies.

But goalkeeper Andile Dlamini insists that they will put even more into the game in order to bring home the crown.

She says: “Every player in this team wants to win. They are motivated.

MOTIVATION: Coach of South Africa

“I know that every player wants to do this to inspire change and positive vibes in South Africa. When you walk onto the field, nobody wants to lose a game.

“We want to inspire youngsters who are depressed and want to improve themselves.

“There is load shedding and there is violence in South Africa. So, we need to reunite everyone.”

Dlamini will have her work cut out for her and she and her defence look to continue their run of two clean sheets in the knockout stages of the tournament.

Another shutout against the Atlas Lionesses in Rabat will go a long way to getting their hands on the coveted trophy.

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