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no stopping basetsana

CONFIDENT: National Under-20 women soccer team captain Gloria Thato. Pic. Lefty Shivambu. 13/01/2008. © Gallo Images.
CONFIDENT: National Under-20 women soccer team captain Gloria Thato. Pic. Lefty Shivambu. 13/01/2008. © Gallo Images.

Linda Moreotsene

Linda Moreotsene

National Under-20 captain Gloria Thato has warned the Democratic Republic of Congo that her team will not let anything get in the way of representing the continent at the World Cup finals in Chile in November.

Basetsana host the DRC at the Caledonian Stadium in Tshwane on Saturday in the first leg of the qualifying matches, and Thato is confident the side will repeat the heroics achieved two weeks ago, when she led the girls to the defence of the Cosafa Women's Championships title won by Banyana Banyana two years ago.

The defender is positive that South Africa will, for the first time, be one of the two African countries representing the continent at the tournament.

"Personally, I can't wait to play that match and get it over with," the 19-year-old said.

" I have spoken to the girls, and have been asking them if they wanted to go to the World Cup. There has to be only one answer to that question. We have been working towards this for a long time, and now it is do or die. I must add that spirits are very high and now that we have set a standard, there is no turning back."

Basetsana, who two weeks ago were crowned Cosafa champions in Angola, won all their games en-route to that title, and have not lost a match since losing a friendly international against the Netherlands in Germany last year.

The DRC girls are no pushovers though, and the last time they played against South Africa, they emerged victorious.

"I've been told that although they beat us, we lost because of our own mistakes. That will not happen on Saturday. We have been ready for a very long time. And its crucial that we win this first leg, before we play them in their won backyard in two weeks' time," Thato added.

The only other place available for Africa will also be contested on Saturday by Nigeria and Ghana.

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