Banyana Banyana midfield workhorse Nomvula "Lipstick Lady" Kgoale has told of some tough environmental conditions in Nigeria as they gear up to take on the Super Falcons in the first leg of the last round of the Olympic qualifiers.
Banyana and Nigeria will battle it out at Mko Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Friday (6pm SA time). The return leg is billed for Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday (7.30pm).
Banyana landed in Nigeria on Sunday and Kgoale has urged her teammates to be mentally strong to deal with their traditional foes, the Super Falcons, narrating how the conditions there are a bit abnormal for them, albeit she was confident they'll acclimatise.
"It's extremely important to be mentally tough. We know that Nigeria are a very tough opponent to play against...they've won Wafcon so many times and they've done well at the World Cups as well,'' Kgoale said on Monday.
"Back at home the air is much thinner and over here it's much heavier but personally I've played in the United States for almost six years, and I know how to play in this kind of weather... you almost feel like you are breathing heat. The grass is also heavier but I am sure that in two days' time we would've adjusted.
Banyana beat Nigeria the last time they met, 2-1 in the group stages of the Wafcon, and went on to win the tournament in Morocco in July 2022. Now the Lipstick Lady expects the hosts to gun for revenge. "We know that the last time we played them we won, so they will be looking for revenge,'' Kgoale noted.
Meanwhile, veteran fullback Lebohang Ramalepe described this battle against the Super Falcons as "do or die", particularly because both these powerhouses of women's football on the continent failed to qualify for the previous Olympics, staged in Tokyo in 2021.
"Remember, both of us missed the last Olympics, so this game is a do or die kind of game. This is a new challenge for us and we are not going to dwell much on what happened in our last encounters with Nigeria because we might lose ourselves if we do that,'' Ramalepe said.
Kgoale unfazed by tough conditions in Nigeria
Banyana in do or die game as they eye Olympics spot
Image: Dirk Kotze
Banyana Banyana midfield workhorse Nomvula "Lipstick Lady" Kgoale has told of some tough environmental conditions in Nigeria as they gear up to take on the Super Falcons in the first leg of the last round of the Olympic qualifiers.
Banyana and Nigeria will battle it out at Mko Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Friday (6pm SA time). The return leg is billed for Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday (7.30pm).
Banyana landed in Nigeria on Sunday and Kgoale has urged her teammates to be mentally strong to deal with their traditional foes, the Super Falcons, narrating how the conditions there are a bit abnormal for them, albeit she was confident they'll acclimatise.
"It's extremely important to be mentally tough. We know that Nigeria are a very tough opponent to play against...they've won Wafcon so many times and they've done well at the World Cups as well,'' Kgoale said on Monday.
"Back at home the air is much thinner and over here it's much heavier but personally I've played in the United States for almost six years, and I know how to play in this kind of weather... you almost feel like you are breathing heat. The grass is also heavier but I am sure that in two days' time we would've adjusted.
Banyana beat Nigeria the last time they met, 2-1 in the group stages of the Wafcon, and went on to win the tournament in Morocco in July 2022. Now the Lipstick Lady expects the hosts to gun for revenge. "We know that the last time we played them we won, so they will be looking for revenge,'' Kgoale noted.
Meanwhile, veteran fullback Lebohang Ramalepe described this battle against the Super Falcons as "do or die", particularly because both these powerhouses of women's football on the continent failed to qualify for the previous Olympics, staged in Tokyo in 2021.
"Remember, both of us missed the last Olympics, so this game is a do or die kind of game. This is a new challenge for us and we are not going to dwell much on what happened in our last encounters with Nigeria because we might lose ourselves if we do that,'' Ramalepe said.
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