Banyana face Ghana in the third-place playoff at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca tonight
Jermaine Seoposenwe believes it will be important for Banyana Banyana forward to return home with a medal after their failure to defend the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title.
Banyana failed to defend the trophy they won in 2022 after they lost 2-1 to Nigeria in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
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They will now face Ghana in the third-place playoff at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca tonight (kickoff is at 9pm SA time).
“Playing in the third and fourth place is disappointing to say the least, but I think as professionals we definitely just have to step up and take the responsibility of what this match brings. At the end of the day, we as African champions believe that going home with the bronze medal would still be somewhat of a consolation. But I think the team is still motivated, and we have to accept where we are as a group and still go out there and fight in our last match in this tournament,” said Seoposenwe.
‘The team will be ready’
“I think just to do so will reconcile for what has happened and not making it to the final or not retaining our title, a bronze medal would suffice at the moment, there’s nothing else we can play for. But I believe that the team will be ready, and the team will be focused and just still continuing to play for pride. At the end of the day, we are African champions, and we have to continue to do well, continue to develop, continue to go out there and show up for the young players with us in this tournament. And it’s going to be important for us to show them that there is still that resilience, still that fight, still that belief and hopefully we can go home with the medal.”
Last Banyana hooray for Seoposenwe
South Africa beat Ghana 2-0 when the sides met in the group stages of the competition, but Seoposenwe has warned her teammates that the Black Queens cannot be taken lightly in this encounter.
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“We played Ghana in the group stages and obviously it’s difficult to go and play them again, but I think as a group we are confident in our abilities and what we are capable of doing. So I think the mental aspect of going and playing third and fourth playoff is difficult, but I think as a team we will regroup. Hopefully we can achieve what we might not have set up for but try and get that third-place medal,” said Seoposenwe who will be playing her last match in a Banyana Banyana shirt.
The forward announced her retirement from the national team shortly before the start of the tournament.
