National Teams
Paris 2024 Qualifiers: Thembi Kgathlana insists facilities will boost South Africa chances
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
South Africa senior women’s national team forward Thembi Kgatlana believes they will have a better opportunity to turn their Olympic qualification chances around when they face Nigeria back home.
The Super Falcons slim 1-0 advantage after their CAF Olympic Qualifier first-leg tie in Abuja, thanks to a first-half Rasheedat Ajibade penalty.
With the return leg scheduled for Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Kgatlana reckons they have the necessary tools to overcome the Nigerians, who made conditions as difficult as possible at their home ground on Friday.
“I think in the first half we started a bit slow, and coming into the second half we were playing much better, and I think that’s the positive we need to take going back home – with familiar facilities and knowing what to do in front of our fans,” Kgatlana told SAFA Media.
“They didn’t cut the grass because they know that we’re a team that moves the ball, so that’s why when we get home, there’s better facilities and we know that the pitch will favour us.
“They’re not a team that plays the ball, they’re a team that wants to run behind, and that’s exactly what their pitch allows – you drop the ball, it doesn’t bounce, it just lands on top, and that worked for them.”
An outright victory by two goals is all Banyana require to reach their first Olympic Games since Rio 2016, while they will also need to be wary of conceding any away goals, but the UANL Tigres star is confident of getting the job done.
“The good thing is that it’s not a tournament. We know after this first game, whoever wins in Pretoria goes through – there’s no fixing or anything,” she added.
“But after today, I think with their 1-0 advantage, there’s no away-goal [factor in Banyana’s favour] or anything, and I think that gives us so much confidence because we know we just have to win with a better score.”
Super Falcons have previously qualified for the Olympics three times in 2000 (Sydney, Australia), 2004 (Athens, Greece), and 2008 (Beijing, China).
Should Desire Ellis’s side secure a 1-0 win or 2-1 victory, the game will go into extra time and possible penalties to determine the team that will qualify for the women’s football event of the Olympics.
Randy Waldrum’s side has to avoid defeat to make it to the Olympics for the first time since 2008.
