• Tweet

READY TO RUMBLE: Banyana Banyana players during a training session at Sportschule Hennef in Hennef, Germany. Banyana take on Sweden in Coventry tonight.Photo: Getty Images

 Swedes first up for SA 

RELATED ARTICLES

• Sweden are toughest task yet for Banyana

The South African women's football team, ranked 61st in the world, take on Sweden, who finished third in last year's women's World Cup and are fourth on Fifa's world ranking.

The Swedes have international stars of the calibre of Sofia Jakobsson, who plays professionally in Russia, and Caroline Seger, who will win her 94th cap against Banyana tonight.

The match will be played in Coventry, one of the six football venues for both the women's and men's tournaments at the Games.

South Africa's second match, against seventh-ranked Canada, will be played at the same City of Coventry venue on Saturday night while their final game at the Olympics, on Tuesday, against world No3 Japan, is at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, a ground more familiar with their big brother Springboks.

Banyana are the lowest ranked of all the teams in the women's tournament at the Games and are not expected to make it beyond the first round. Not that Banyana are intimidated.

"We've been having good training camps and the team is coming together," said veteran Banyana striker Portia Modise.

Sweden will present Banyana with a harsh yardstick tonight. The Swedes have qualified for every Olympics and despite a defeat against the US and a draw last week against Britain in a friendly, they are considered potential group winners with Japan.

But they also bring baggage to the Games: they have never won a medal.

Coach Joseph Mkhonza will look to Modise, who has scored 71 goals in 92 appearances for South Africa, and Noko Matlou for goals tonight; to Janine van Wyk to marshal the defence and Amanda Dlamini to run the midfield.

They are his key players and at least they have come into the Games after the best preparation a team could have.

"It's not going to be easy," Modise admitted to a BBC interviewer. "There is too much pressure.

"We're looking forward to doing our best and represent the whole African continent, not only South Africa, and make the whole of Africa proud."

South Africa held Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in Rustenburg recently.

Nigeria have been to three Olympics while Africa's third representative, Cameroon, will also be making their debut, like SA.

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Thu May 23 19:36:26 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 25, 2012

Mokwepa

all de best bo chery bo chery
Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

DJWinner

Women spreading legs like this now, eish...
Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

Tango

In Portia Modise i trust
Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

guiliano

@SABC- please televize all their games so that we can cheer our girls.
Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

Kasiologist

All the best ladies, you made it to the tourny, time to give it the best go you possibly can.

Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

Prokobela

All the best to our mavelous Banyana,nothing it's impossible...we behind ya'll all the way.I trust Noko & P. Modise can hold it up for us.....
Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

ModiseP

My point of view.Banyana Banyana play as proffessionals.They play according to coach instruction that is why they use all opportunities in the field of play.If 90minutes allow them to score 15 goals,they gonna score them according to coach plan.Letlowa ga le tlale.
Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

phetlapi

wishing u the best thruoghout the tournament,though some journalists have already written ur orbituary,prove them wrong ladies.
Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

CharlesTaylor

Ladies, I won't lie to you, you're in for a BEEG whip-up, but for you to be there, is a great achievement for all of us. We love you with or without a win in the tourno. You deserve the best. Hurray!!!
Report Abuse

Jul 25, 2012

Sunshine_

All the best to our team, even though I don't see you winning this game.
Report Abuse

Read all 12 comments