[WATCH] Time for Africa: Banyana Banyana star Seoposenwe says Wafcon winners have a point to prove after 2019 World Cup flop
|Published
On a mission: Jermaine Seoposenwe
Banyana Banyana have a point to prove as African champions as they gear up to kick off their World Cup campaign on Sunday.
Ahead of their Group G opener against Italy in New Zealand’s capital of Wellington, South Africa are determined to make their stemme dik in the second-ever global tournament, having bow out of the 2019 edition without a win.
While that is pressure in itself, coach Desiree Ellis and her span arrive Down Under with greater expectations after being crowned queens of African by winning a maiden Women’s African Cup of Nations title last year.
1️⃣8️⃣ days to go the @FIFAWWC 🏆⚽️
— Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) July 3, 2023
2️⃣1️⃣ days to go until the African Champions play their opening match!!
🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>💚![CDATA[]]>💛#LiveTheImpossible #RoadToTheFIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/oy5OaAKjaP
With SA joined by continental counterparts Morocco, Nigeria and Zambia, Cape-born playmaker Jermaine Seoposenwe says Banyana have it all to prove.
Following confirmation to new Mexican club Rayadas de Monterrey from rivals Juarez, she tells club media: “I’m excited to go to my second World Cup. I played at the 2019 in France.
“With my team being African Cup of Nations champions, there will be a lot of pressure on us.
“But I believe we’ve been preparing well and I want to achieve things I didn’t in the last edition, like score goals and assist.”
Having scored SA’s only World Cup goal to date, Thembi Kgatlana’s goalscoring return in last Sunday’s 2-0 win over Costa Rica in their final warm-up, coach Ellis says the squad have a helse boost in belief after the ace’s achilles injury during the Wafcon group stages last July.
📹Word from Head Coach Desiree Ellis after the team’s 2-0 victory against Costa Rica 🇨![CDATA[]]>🇷 in our final international friendly on Saturday afternoon. 🎤#LiveTheImpossible pic.twitter.com/vle2XHQHur
— Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) July 16, 2023
The legend from Salt River says: “It was fantastic to see Thembi back… it was like she never left.
“She took the goal well and was instrumental in a lot of our moves - not only in attacking moves, she initiated our press too.
“For Thembi, that’s the monkey off here back. She is always looking to score.”