Mcelwa Nchabeleng
Mcelwa Nchabeleng
Basetsana are close to making history by becoming the first junior team in the country - male or female - to qualify for a World Cup finals.
Anna Monate's enterprising girls are just one match away from Fifa's Under-20 World Cup glory.
Basetsana made their case of qualifying for the global event stronger with a 3-1 pasting of the DR Congo in the first leg of a two-leg World Cup qualifier at Caledonian Stadium on Saturday.
The two sides will meet in the second leg in Kinshasa, DRC, on June 15.
Basetsana were denied by the same Congolese in the 2006 World Cup version after losing on an away-goal rule.
But Monate believes the 3-1 win could be enough for them to wrap it up in the second leg. Monate, however, stressed that their first-leg success will not lull them in Kinshasa.
"We are aware that they will come at us to prove a point in front of their supporters but we are ready to fight fire with fire in the DRC," Monate said.
DRC coach Pohy Bonganya said it would not be easy to overcome Basetsana in the second leg despite the fact that they would be playing at home. Basetsana went into this match buoyed by their Cosafa Cup success in Angola last month.
Monate should pay more attention to their finishing at training after Basetsana missed a number of scoring chances, especially in the first half.
Credit, however, should go to Congolese goalie Laurette Kondolo, who denied the attacking South African side a chance to win by an avalanche of goals.
The hosts launched their attacks on the right flank, where Tina Selepe had the better of Kuba Lumbu. Memory Makhanya, who was all over the pitch like a dog that has just been let off the leash, also came from deep to give Lumbu a torrid afternoon.
It was from this part of the pitch that Makhanya's square pass resulted in their opener in the 13th minute. The goal was scored by Nothando Vilakazi before Selepe made it 2-0 a minute after the restart.
Substitute Judith Tondo drew one back for the visitors but Lusinda Bowers struck the third in stoppage time.
It was good to see a number of Congolese supporters at the stadium rallying behind their team.
Basetsana to write history
Mcelwa Nchabeleng
Mcelwa Nchabeleng
Basetsana are close to making history by becoming the first junior team in the country - male or female - to qualify for a World Cup finals.
Anna Monate's enterprising girls are just one match away from Fifa's Under-20 World Cup glory.
Basetsana made their case of qualifying for the global event stronger with a 3-1 pasting of the DR Congo in the first leg of a two-leg World Cup qualifier at Caledonian Stadium on Saturday.
The two sides will meet in the second leg in Kinshasa, DRC, on June 15.
Basetsana were denied by the same Congolese in the 2006 World Cup version after losing on an away-goal rule.
But Monate believes the 3-1 win could be enough for them to wrap it up in the second leg. Monate, however, stressed that their first-leg success will not lull them in Kinshasa.
"We are aware that they will come at us to prove a point in front of their supporters but we are ready to fight fire with fire in the DRC," Monate said.
DRC coach Pohy Bonganya said it would not be easy to overcome Basetsana in the second leg despite the fact that they would be playing at home. Basetsana went into this match buoyed by their Cosafa Cup success in Angola last month.
Monate should pay more attention to their finishing at training after Basetsana missed a number of scoring chances, especially in the first half.
Credit, however, should go to Congolese goalie Laurette Kondolo, who denied the attacking South African side a chance to win by an avalanche of goals.
The hosts launched their attacks on the right flank, where Tina Selepe had the better of Kuba Lumbu. Memory Makhanya, who was all over the pitch like a dog that has just been let off the leash, also came from deep to give Lumbu a torrid afternoon.
It was from this part of the pitch that Makhanya's square pass resulted in their opener in the 13th minute. The goal was scored by Nothando Vilakazi before Selepe made it 2-0 a minute after the restart.
Substitute Judith Tondo drew one back for the visitors but Lusinda Bowers struck the third in stoppage time.
It was good to see a number of Congolese supporters at the stadium rallying behind their team.