BANYANA Banyana are moulding yet another African award winner in Thembi Kgatlana, who is on the verge of rewriting South African women’s football history.
The 22-year-old striker stole the show on Sunday when she came off the bench to inspire Banyana Banyana to a historic 1-0 victory over Nigeria in their 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Women’s Afcon) Group B opener in Ghana’s Cape Coast.
The skilful player, voted Player of the Match, scored a cracker as Banyana overcame the Super Falcons, who have won the competition 10 times.
Kgatlana said she knew it was “now or never” when she received the ball from the ever-hardworking Jermaine Seoposenwe.
“Scoring that goal was the most amazing feeling ever,” she said after the match.
“As the ball bounced for the first time I thought it was now or never – just take the shot and see what happens! I knew if I let it bounce twice I might not get it.”
The Banyana heroine pulled the same stunt in last year to earn a spot among the top three at the Caf Awards held in Accra, Ghana, in January this year.
She was nominated in the Player of the Year category but lost to Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala.
But today Kgatlana believes anything is possible if she is able to maintain consistency and keep scoring.
Veteran Noko Matlou remains the only South African women’s player to have won the Caf award back in 2008. Kgatlana believes that the award could be coming to South Africa this time around.
She said: “You know, teamwork makes the dream work. I’m here to play for the team, not for myself. If the nomination comes again it will be a blessing. We have many players capable of making history. Anyone can win it if we do everything as a team. Anything is possible in football.”
Banyana’s victory over Nigeria has set the bar high and now all eyes are on coach Desiree Ellis’ soldiers to see if they can maintain their perfect start to the tournament. Bringing down record holders Nigeria, who have won this competition 10 times, was no easy feat.
“We are not here to relax,” she said.
“We came here with a vision and mission – to secure a Word Cup spot. We haven’t won anything, there’s no time to relax. A win against Nigeria should not make us think we have qualified for the World Cup – we still need to fight until we get what we want.”
Meanwhile, Banyana will continue with their quest for glory when they take on Equatorial Guinea who were hammered 5-0 by Zambia at the weekend. The game will be played at the Cape Coast Stadium tomorrow (8.30pm SA time).
Banyana’s last group stage match is against Zambia at Accra Stadium on Saturday (6pm SA time).