Banyana Banyana can feel hard done by for losing out to Nigeria, who were named the Women’s National Team of the Year winners at Monday’s CAF Awards in Morocco Banyana Banyana can feel hard done by for losing out to Nigeria, who were named the Women’s National Team of the Year winners at Monday’s CAF Awards in Morocco. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Banyana Banyana can feel hard done by for losing out to Nigeria, who were named the Women’s National Team of the Year winners at Monday’s CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco.
The South African women’s national team are the reigning African champions after lifting the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title last year. Banyana and the Super Falcons, the Nigerian women’s national team, were in the same Wafcon group. Their group tie ended in a win for the South Africans, who went on to win the final after defeating Morocco.
At the 2022 Women’s World Cup both South Africa and Nigeria reached the round of 16. However, South Africa’s group was much stronger and included then-world No 2 team Sweden.
The overall strength of South Africa compared to Nigeria is reflected by the Women’s Africa XI named at Monday’s awards.
South Africa have goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, defender Bambani Mbane (both Mamelodi Sundowns), defender Lebohang Ramalepe (FC Dinamo Minsk), midfielder Linda Matlhalo (Glasgow City), and midfielder Refiloe Jane (Sassuolo) in the team. Compared to South Africa’s five, Nigeria only have three players.
They are defender Michielle Aloize (Houston Dash), defender Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alavés Gloriosas) and forward Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona).
The strange thing about this Africa XI is that South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana (Racing Louisville), who was deservedly named among the Women’s Player of the Year candidates, did not make the team. She ranked among the top players at the World Cup last year.
This was the fifth time that the Super Falcons won the team award in the women’s category.
Lebohang Ramalepe (Sundowns) missed out on the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award, along with teammate Refilwe Tholakele, but South African Percy Tau (Al Ahly) won the men’s category.
Tau did not crack the nod for the Men’s Africa XI and had to compete for a place with the celebrated Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Sadio Mané (Bayern Munich) and Victor Osimhen (Napoli).
Reigning African women’s champions Sundowns were crowned the best club of the continent for a second year running.
South African senior women’s national team coach Desiree Ellis continued to engrave her name in the rich history books of African football by winning CAF Women’s Coach of the Year for the fourth year.
The Banyana coach, who guided South Africa to their first CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title and second Fifa Women’s World Cup appearance retained the accolade she won in 2018, 2019 and last year.
Ellis was nominated alongside countryman Jerry Tshabalala, who won his second CAF Women’s Champions League title with Sundowns in Ivory Coast recently.
IOL Sport
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