Tag Archives: on Friday night.

SA bracing for a tough match against Niger

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Picture: Bafana Bafana interim coach, Molefi Ntseki/Supplied  

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

14 August 2025- South Africa coach Molefi Ntseki and his charges are bracing for a tough match when they face Niger in a must-win African Nations Championship (CHAN) group clash at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, on Friday night.

The South Africans are third on the Group C standings with four points from two matches and are two points behind leaders Uganda, who have already played three games. Ntseki’s charges will be seeking maximum points if they are to ensure that they remain in control of their destiny as the group stages near their conclusion.

Second-placed Algeria faced Guinea earlier in the day in the other Group C match that could give the South Africans an idea of what they need to do later in the evening. Ntseki said they will take some important lessons to the clash against Niger after they were stretched by Guinea but still emerged 2-1 victory at the same venue on Monday.

“I think the lessons learned from that game (against Guinea), which we view as positives, include the (strong) mentality of our players and their high level of concentration, despite the fact that they were under siege for the better part of the match.

“We stuck to our discipline, we stuck to our game plan and every member of the team had to dig deep to make sure that the result ended in our favour,” he said.

Ntseki further said the most important thing was the technical discipline when we were out of possession and this was very important. He added that they carried out their technical discipline for almost 60 minutes during the game and there were turnovers in between and there were transitions for and against.

“We managed to hold onto the ball for a longer period and in between we managed to create goal scoring opportunities, and we managed to score the two goals.

“So in terms of not conceding towards the end of the game when the pressure was mounting on us, I think it was a very good lesson and also a plus for our players to show that we can still play under pressure, we can still grind out the results despite the fact that the opponents were coming at us,” said Ntseki.

Senior player and defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele said they respect every team in the tournament and would approach the West Africans with the same regard they afford to all opponents.

“For us as a team, we never underestimate anybody. We treat each game with respect and approach it with a positive mindset.

“One of the strongest components we have in our team is that we’re mentally very strong. We don’t look at the name of the country,” he said.

Mphahlele said whoever they play against, they always try and give their best because they know that they are representing their country. He said so, whether they play Niger, Sudan, or Nigeria, they can never walk onto a football pitch and think they have won the game already.

“We go out there every day to suffer, to protect the badge and to fight for our country. So, in this team, there’s never a moment where we look at the country and say it’s a small country because they haven’t won a game, and then we approach it with a negative mindset.

“We always focus and play to win. So, whether it’s Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria, we go in with the same mentality,” said Mphahlele.

Meanwhile, the CHAN tournament is being held in East Africa in three countries – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda – between 2 and 30 August 2025.

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‘We just have to pick ourselves up’

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Picture: Banyana Banyana players

By OBAKENG MAJE

27 July 2025 – Banyana Banyana coach Dr Desiree Ellis has admitted that it was not their day after the South African senior women’s national team suffered defeat to Ghana in a CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 third and fourth place play-off match played at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, on Friday night.

The South Africans went down 4-3 on penalties after both sides were tied at 1-1 at the end of regulation time. Ghana finished third to claim a bronze medal, while Banyana Banyana returned home with a fourth-place finish.

“We started very slowly, got into the game and got a goal when we pressed. But they came out guns blazing for most of the second half, especially that first 15 minutes. We couldn’t get our foot on the ball to slow the game down, and to take control.

“They were just better than us in the second half and eventually went to penalties, we always knew that we had a chance. Unfortunately, we didn’t win the penalty shootout this time around, so congratulations to Ghana. We live on, and we’ll then start preparing for what’s forward,” she said.

Ellis further said in the six matches that the South Africans have played in this tournament. She added that they managed two wins in open play – defeating Ghana (2-0) and Mali (4-0).

“They drew against Tanzania (1-1), beat Senegal on penalties in the quarterfinals before going down 1-2 to Nigeria in the semi-finals.

“I think some of the games took a lot out of us, but we always knew either getting to the final or getting to the third and 4th place playoff we still had another game. We had five substitutes really because we’ve also picked up some injuries along the way, but that’s not an excuse,” said Ellis.

She said they just have to pick themselves up, these things happen in football. Elliss said one got to give credit to the opponents, in most situations they were better than them and she was not going to sugar-coat that.

“You’ve got to give credit where it’s due,” she said.

Ellis made five changes to the team that lost to Nigeria – bringing on Sibulele Holweni, Regina Mogolola, Nonhlanhla Mthandi, Noxolo Cesane and Hilda Magaia in place of Karabo Dhlamini, Tiisetso Makhubela, Fikile Magama, Refiloe Jane and Gabriela Salgado.

“We dust ourselves off and move on. We can’t look back too much. Yes, it was not a great campaign, but we got into the semi-finals and came very close to getting to the final, so we’ll just move on.

“Like every team that comes to a tournament, we had ambitions of winning it, but we didn’t get there. Unfortunately, we did not do well today,” said Ellis.

She said Mbane is the only player that played every second of every match in the tournament. Ellis said this was also the final appearance for South African forward Jermaine Seoposenwe in the national team colours as she announced her retirement before the start of the tournament.

Meanwhile, the South Africans will fly out of Morocco on Sunday and are expected to land in South Africa on Monday evening.

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Banyana suffer defeat to Ghana in bronze medal match as they bow out of WAFCON

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Picture: Banyana Banyana players

By OBAKENG MAJE

26 July 2025 – Banyana Banyana’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign ended on a disappointing note after they were beaten 4-3 on penalties by Ghana in the bronze medal match at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, on Friday night.

The two teams had finished regulation time level at 1-1 after the first half opening strike from Nonhlanhla Mthandi on the stroke of half-time, and Ghana’s equalizer by Alice Kusi in the 68th minute.

It was then left up to the lottery of the penalty shootout to decide this 3rd/4th place playoff match and settle the destiny of the bronze medal. Linda Motlhalo, Bambanani Mbane and Jermaine Seoposenwe converted their spot kicks for South Africa, while Sibulele Holweni and Hildah Magaia were denied. Ghana converted their kicks through Kusi, Josephine Bonsu, Jennifer Cudjoe and Nancy Amoh while Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah’s shot was saved by South Africa’s Andile Dlamini.

The two goalkeepers – Dlamini and Ghana counterpart Cynthia Konlan – were in excellent form during the shootout, but it was the West Africans who eventually held their nerve to win the match. The result means that Seoposenwe will exit the international stage without the medal she had hope she would claim with the South African senior women’s national team on her final match.

The South Africans will return on Monday, 28 July 2025.

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Broos satisfied with the performance of the newcomers in the Bafana team

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Picture: Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos

By REGINALD KANYANE

7 June 2025 – Bafana Bafana coach Hugo had no complaints and was satisfied with the performance of his players after they were held to a goalless draw by Tanzania in an international friendly match played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo, on Friday night.

There were several newcomers in the team and Broos said many of them rose to the challenge against a Tanzania side that gave the South Africans plenty to think about.

“I think there were eight new national team jerseys today and what I want to say is we had a totally new team today, with players who have never played together before, except those who play for the same team.

“So, it was not easy. I said it before the game, the result is not important and for me it was not important. Sure, we wanted to win the game today and we could have won the game because we had some chances,” he said.

Broos further said, but the performance was more important. He added that, he is happy with what he saw today.

“You should not underestimate the fact that when you bring 23 players together and you select 11 to play a game, players who have never play together, it is not easy,” said Broos.  

Tanzania will now turn their attention to the COSAFA Cup in Bloemfontein and coach Hemed Suleiman said Bafana Bafana gave them a tough workout ahead of their participation in the regional tournament.

“As I said before, South Africa has a good team. I think they are trying to build their team for the future because I saw that they were missing some players. But they like to play football, and I know it,” he said.

Bafana Bafana will play against Mozambique in their next match on Tuesday night, to be also hosted at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.

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