By Sameer Naik
The South African national under-17 women's football team will make history in Trinidad and Tobago next month when they become the country's first women's team to take part in a Fifa World Cup.
With Bafana Bafana disappointing in the World Cup in July, the women's team, nicknamed Bantwana, who fly out at the weekend, will believe they can bring the trophy home.
After breezing through their qualifying games earlier this year, crunch time for the squad now includes tough fixtures against previous World Cup winners South Korea, number one-ranked Germany, as well as Mexico in the group stages of the tournament.
Coach Solly Luvhango is optimistic. "We succeeded in the qualifying games because the players were focused. They played with passion and pride, and played according to our game plan. I am hoping the team will do the same next month and make SA proud.
"Ironically we are facing Mexico, just as Bafana did. Our hope is that we do one better than Bafana by defeating Mexico," Luvhango added, smiling.
"Currently the girls are at|a camp, and we are working to make sure they are ready. There is the added pressure that they are the first women's team to qualify, but we feel we are prepared," he said.
Bantwana's World Cup adventure is being sponsored by FNB to the tune of R1 million.
The team were lucky to meet Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane at the FNB Stadium when his team beat Ghana, which "inspired the ladies very much", said Luvhango.
"The team were so happy to meet Pitso. He gave them some advice and wished them good luck for the World Cup. He also told them that the country was counting on them. I think that has inspired them very much to work even harder," added Luvhango.
Bantwana's team manager, Fran Hilton Smith, said the girls had already made the country proud with their achievement.
"We are going to the World Cup. This is such a milestone in women's football. The girls have made history," said Hilton Smith. "This achievement augurs well for women's football in our country. It is a special victory that the entire team will cherish for a very long time."
The vice-captain of Bantwana, Jabulile Mazibuko, said the team were very committed to ensuring they do well.
"We are all very excited to compete in the World Cup. Watching Bafana Bafana play in the World Cup made us even more excited, and now we are ready to make our country proud. We have worked hard and are prepared to take on any team in the world," said Mazibuko, who said everybody understood it was critical for the team to go to Trinidad and Tobago with a positive mindset. "We've got tough fixtures, and we need to be positive if we want to reach the final, which I feel we definitely can."
In their final preparations, in two friendlies last weekend, the girls beat their England counterparts 4-1 and drew 1-1, and now believe they are ready for the best in the world.
Squad List
Source - iol.co.za