Banyana Banyana captain Refiloe Jane has admitted that the team’s 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign was a disappointing outing.
Banyana left for Morocco as defending champions but will return home empty handed after they lost 4-3 on penalties to Ghana in the third/fourth place playoff match.
Jane admitted that Banyana wanted to defend the title ultimately won by Nigeria but cited other factors that contributed to the team’s overall performance with the TS Galaxy Queens midfielder saying there’s a lot that needs to be done when the team gets back home to be ready to redeem themselves in the next WAFCON scheduled for next year.
“Obviously we are disappointed with going home empty handed throughout the tournament; it wasn’t an easy one for the players,” Jane told Safa.net.
“A lot of challenges on and off the pitch, but we tried to put in a great performance. We tried to do our level best. We tried to retain the trophy as the main objective, but going home now, there’s a lot of work still to be done. And we’re hoping that come the next WAFCON, which is very important, it’s a World Cup qualifying tournament, we hope that we can do well. But firstly, we need to do well in the qualifiers.
“A disappointing one to sum up the tournament, going home without a medal but given the situation within camp, given the players that we had, a lot of transition that was taking place in the team, we’re hoping that a lot of positives can be taken from this tournament and build up on that.”
Jane also took time to pay tribute to former national team teammate Jermaine Seoposenwe who retired from international football after the tournament saying latter is leaving a good legacy behind.
“Jermaine has been a key figure in the national team from when she was a teenager to now calling retirement,” added Jane.
“We know how much contribution she has given to the team, on and off the pitch, she leaves a great legacy, one to be followed by upcoming teenagers or upcoming players who look up to her.
“So, we’re hoping that a lot of lessons can be taken from the type of person and player that she is.”
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