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FINAL KICK FOR DESPERATE BANYANA IN FRANCE

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Nothando Vilakazi is back for Banyana Banyana after collecting two yellows against Sain in France.
Nothando Vilakazi is back for Banyana Banyana after collecting two yellows against Sain in France.
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BANYANA Banyana refuses to lose hope, not until after they played against Germany in their final group stages match at the Stade de Mosson in France.

For a realist, Banyana must be packed and flight tickets already booked; and their backroom staff already checking the team into their mode of transport back home.

But their coach Desiree Ellis, believes they are still having a small mathematical chance to qualify for the knockout stage.

“We are a team that has a lot of belief," Ellis told Safa.net.

"That always look up to the toughest challenges put ahead of us. We call this another final because we come up against a team that has loads of experience in the world of women’s football. They are tactically superior and are a very structured team that can hurt you if you are not careful. Mathematically we are still in with a chance, and if things go our way who knows, we may just sneak into the next round.”

True that they will face their biggest test in the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup against Germany, but would be boosted by the return of Nothando Vilakazi who saw red in their opening match, lost 3-1 to Spain.

Vilakazi missed Banyana's match against China which they lost 1-0, to continue languishing at the foot of Group B.

This will be the first ever meeting between Banyana and Germany in any competition.

South Africa is ranked 49th in the world while Germany occupies the second spot.

The Europeans have never missed the tournament and are making their seventh appearance.

They have been to three finals, lifting the trophy twice.

Germany have already booked their spot in the last 16 of the 2019 edition after back-to-back wins against China and Spain.

They didn’t concede any goal in the two games.

Ellis’ charges will have to win against German to have any hopes of the best third placed team – but will also be relying on other results of the other groups, as well as match between Spain and China.

Spain and China can still finish in any position in the group, and a win or a draw will see them through to the next round.

With two clean sheets in their two previous games, the Germans are unbeaten in 14 matches – 12 wins and two draws – since a 3-0 loss to France in 2018.

The Europeans have never lost to an African side in the Fifa Women’s World Cup, winning 4-0 and 1-0 against Nigeria in 1991 and 2011, and beating Ivory Coast 10-0 in 2015.

“With that in mind, we believe it can be done. And I have told the players that they deserve something from this tournament after putting up great performances in the previous two matches, but it will take a lot of hard work as Germany are not an easy team to beat – after all they are not ranked second in the world for nothing. They have won the World Cup on two occasions and have never missed a tournament, a clear indication that it is going to be a very hard and long day at the office. But we are confident,” said Ellis.

Safa.net reports that the venue seems to be a happy hunting ground for Germany – in the 1998 FIFA World Cup their men’s team defeated Iran 2-0 and Mexico 2-1.

South Africa is plagued by injuries to key players, with Thembi Kgatlana, who scored Banyana Banyana’s only goal so far, captain Janine van Wyk, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Linda Motlhalo trying to recuperation from their knocks.


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