Safa has have confirmed that Banyana Banyana will do duty against Sweden in two matches in 2018 in Cape Town.
Safa president Dr Danny Jordaan confirmed that South Africa will face the European outfit in two matches on 18 January and 21 January in the new year.
“A match against Sweden is another step for Banyana Banyana as we build towards two major competitions – the qualification for the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Ghana and the 2019 Fifa World Cup in France – and this is a chance for the South African senior women’s national team to go to the next level,” Jordaan told Safa’s official website.
“It’s a major challenge because Sweden is one of the top women’s team in the world, we would like to wish Banyana Banyana well in that game,” he concluded.
This will be the third time that the two countries face off, the two nations having met at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where Sweden edged Banyana 1-0.
South Africa were thumped 4-1 at the 2012 London Olympic Games by the same opposition, with retired Portia Modise having netted the only goal of the game.
Sasol Group brand marketing manager, Nozipho Mbatha, said that the game will be ideal preparation for the women’s team for their upcoming Africa Women Cup of Nations and Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
“As the brand behind Sasol Banyana Banyana, we believe that the upcoming matches against a world class opponent like Sweden will put them in good stead as they step up their preparations for the upcoming Africa Women Cup of Nations and Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
“Our partnership with Safa goes a long way towards ensuring that these games become a regular occurrence for Sasol Banyana Banyana so that the development of women’s football in the country is maintained,” she concluded.
This will be the first time Banyana Banyana play a match in Cape Town, and also the first time they play in a World Cup venue in South Africa.
Cape Town city mayor, Patricia de Lille, expressed her delight at the Mother City being able to host games of such magnitude.
‘In collaboration with the Safa national executive committee, it gives me great pleasure to confirm that Cape Town will host the Swedish senior women’s national football team, together with our own Banyana Banyana.
“We urge everyone to come out in numbers to support our successful women’s national team.
“The opportunity to watch our in-form dynamic sports gems play live, is long overdue,” she said.
Banyana interim coach Desiree Ellis echoed De Lille’s sentiments, and took the time to thank Safa for the opportunity to test themselves against 11th-placed Sweden.
“This is great news. We have been fortunate enough to play some of the top footballing nations where we gave a good account of ourselves, even though we did not get the results we wanted.
“This is amazing news to be playing Sweden – we met them twice, and this third meeting will be a way for us to show how far we have come, to show what we have done in the last year and a half.
“It is also for the players to make their mark so they can go and play in better leagues around the world. I would just like to say to Safa and our sponsor Sasol, thanks for all the support, we can only get better if we play against top nations,” she concluded.
Sweden occupy 11th place in the world rankings and 5th in Europe, while Banyana sit in 52nd spot on the world stage and 5th in the African continent.
The first clash will take place behind closed doors on Thursday 18 January, while the second fixture is scheduled for Sunday 21 January 2018, with a 14:00 kick-off.
Photo: Aubrey Kgakatsi/BackpagePix
-This story originally appeared on SportsClub.co.za
