Banyana focusing on preparations as Wafcon opener against Ghana looms

As defending champions, Banyana Banyana have a target on their backs at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco. 

South Africa kick off the defence of their title on Monday against the Black Queens of Ghana at the Stade d'Honneur d'Oujda where they will be out for a confidence-boosting start. 

Midfielder Noxolo Cesane said they are fully focused on their preparations with less than two days to go before their first match of the tournament.

“We are more focused on what we are going to do on the day of the Ghana match,” she said. 

“We are really working hard on that, we are focused on ourselves and not stressed about other teams. We need to make sure we do on the field what we did on the training ground.”

Cesane stressed they must work harder and not rely on their reputation as defending champions because that is going to count for little as most teams have evolved and improved over the past few years. 

“Every day, every month and every season teams change and it is going to be hard. We have to fix ourselves instead of looking at other teams and we have to work hard to achieve what we want.

“So far we are doing well, we have frustrations here and there like mistakes on the field and we have to fix those. It’s difficult but we are working hard.”

In the past week, Banyana were training under sweltering conditions in Casablanca but on Friday they travelled to their base camp in Oujda to work on the final stages of their preparations.