By OBAKENG MAJE

2 July 2025 – Banyana Banyana midfielder Amogelang Motau says the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) champions should thread with caution in the continental tournament. The Sasol-sponsored South Africans senior women’s national team are in Casablanca, Morocco and have been hard at work preparing for their opening game against Ghana on 7 July in the upcoming CAF WAFCON.

In the second match they will be up against Tanzania on Friday, 11 July 2025, they will then have a date with Mali in the last fixture of the group stages on 14 July.

Although they are the defending champions, Motau says in truth they are contenders just like all the other 11 nations that will gather for the North African tournament.

“That’s the mentality they’re (technical team) trying to instill in us that we come into this tournament just like we came into the last one, we’re contenders, we take it one game at a time. The focus is on ourselves, the analysis team will do the work that’s needed for them to inform us about the game but other than that we’re going well,” said Motau, who is also one of the three co-captains in the squad alongside Refiloe Jane and Lebohang Ramalepe.

Coach Dr Desiree Ellis’ charges have been in Morocco for almost a week and Motau says this was a masterstroke with temperatures hovering above 30 degrees Celsius.

“The mood is becoming great, we’ve been struggling a little bit with the heat, but I think we’re acclimatizing, and everyone is coming into camp, just one player short but I think we’re getting the hang of it. Our rhythm is getting up even today the session had to be cut a little bit because of the weather but I think again we’re acclimatizing and we’re getting there,” she added.

All South Africa’s group stage matches will take place at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, where Banyana Banyana will have their base camp.

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