Paris 2024 Qualifiers: Noko Matlou confident Banyana Banyana will berth ahead of Nigeria

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Noko Matlou, veteran defender of the South African national women’s team, Banyana Banyana, exudes confidence as they gear up for the final round of the Paris 2024 Olympics qualifiers against the Super Falcons.

With the stakes high for a spot in the prestigious Olympic Games, Matlou is optimistic about Banyana Banyana’s chances, expressing her belief in their ability to secure qualification.

”I believe we have a chance to qualify for the Olympics, I do believe we will qualify,” Matlou affirmed in an interview with SABC Sports.

Having narrowly missed out on the Tokyo Olympics, Matlou and her teammates are determined to seize this opportunity and showcase their prowess on the global stage.

Reflecting on their previous encounters with Nigeria, Matlou draws confidence from their recent successes against the Super Falcons, including a notable victory in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Group stage clash in 2022, where South Africa emerged triumphant with a 2-1 win.

”We played Nigeria a few times, and we won the last four games we played against them – favor is on our side, we will do well against Nigeria,” Matlou asserted.

The stage is set for a thrilling showdown as Nigeria hosts South Africa in the first leg of their Women’s Olympic Football Tournament final qualifying fixture at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Friday, April 5th.

With the return leg scheduled in South Africa on Tuesday, April 9th, Banyana Banyana aims to capitalize on their recent successes and secure their ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics.