Banyana to approach Wafcon as contenders, not as champs'

Banyana Banyana duo of Sibulele Holweni and Amogelang Motau have stressed the importance of forgetting that SA are Wafcon's defending champions, implying that mentality would help them retain the continental championship. 

The 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco, the same venue as the last edition in 2022, on Saturday. 

Banyana, however, will open their title defence account on Monday (6pm SA time), against Ghana at Honneur Stadium in the city of Oujda.

Banyana, whose 2022 title is their only honour in international football so far, will seek to avoid being the second nation after Equatorial Guinea (winners in 2008 and 2012) to fail to defend the Wafcon crown. 

“Our mindset is the same as in 2022. We understand that we've come here as contenders, just like all the teams. Winning the previous Wafcon doesn't mean we will be champions once again, so it's crucial for us to just forget that we are the champions and start afresh like all the teams,” Holweni said.

Motau, who is one of the captains alongside Refiloe Jane and Lebogang Ramalepe, echoed Holweni's words, emphasising that they were just contenders as the technical panel is also driving that message in camp.

“That’s the mentality they’re [the technical team] trying to instil in us that we come into this tournament just like we came into the last one. We’re contenders and we'll take it one game at a time. The focus is on ourselves, the team's analysts will do the work that’s needed for them to inform us about the game. But other than that, we’re going well,” said Motau.

Sowetan reported earlier this week that Banyana players were still not paid the match bonuses of the two previous camps. Even so, Motau highlighted that the mood in camp was good, albeit admitting that they've been battling to cope with the heat. Maximum temperatures in Oudja this week have ranged from 33°C to 36°C. 

“The mood is becoming great. We’ve been struggling a little bit with the heat, but I think we’re acclimatising and everyone is coming into camp. Our rhythm is getting up even today [Wednesday], the session had to be cut because of the weather, but I think again we’re acclimatising and we’re getting there,” Motau said.

Banyana's other Group B opponents are Mali and Tanzania. They face the latter in their second game on Friday July 11

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