Up-and-coming goalkeeper, Nkosingiphile Zungu is happy about earning her first cap for Banyana Banyana and is hoping this is the beginning of more exciting times to come.

“I want to get to the top with this team and I hope the doors have finally been opened for me. I want to be the next superstar, God willing,” she said from national team camp this week.

The 20-year old goal-minder who plays for Remax Shooting Stars (Sasol league, KwaZulu Natal) is excited about being given the opportunity to be part of the Banyana Banyana set-up and has vowed to grab this chance with both hands.

Zungu was awarded her first cap for Banyana Banyana in the international friendly match against Mozambique played on Sunday, 9 June at the Kanyamazane Stadium in Nelspruit, where the Sasol sponsored women’s national team gave neighbours Mozambique a soccer lesson, walloping them 5-0.

“This has been an exciting journey and experience for me. I am feeling great to have so many people looking up to me as a role model.

“I am humbled that the coach awarded me my first cap but now the hard work starts. This has been the confidence booster I have waited for so long. Now I need to break into the starting 11 but that can only be done through hard work” said Zungu.

Zungu was among the first players to feature in the South African U17 women’s national team and was the reserve goalkeeper when Bantwana made history by qualifying for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup that took place in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010.

Zungu who is doing her first year in Public Management at the University of Durban has set her hopes on excelling on the field of play and help the South African women’s team achieve more and more success.

“Having gone to the FIFA World Cup in 2010 with the Under/17, my hope now is to break into the senior national team and become a role player in getting Banyana Banyana to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada,” said Zungu.

Coach Joseph Mkhonza said he gave the Remax Shooting stars goal-minder an opportunity to get the feel of being between the posts and understand the national team setup as part of his plan in having a larger pool of players.

“We have been lacking depth in the goalkeeping department and I felt it was about time that we give Zungu exposure as she is one of the most promising stars.

“We travelled with her to the Caribbean in 2010 and although she didn’t feature much, I believe with hard work and dedication she has a making of a great goalkeeper; otherwise Happiness is my name” said Mkhonza.