Banyana Banyana arrive in Chicago for the toughest assignment of their lives
By MARK GLEESON
The toughest assignment in the history of South Africa’s women’s national team lies in wait in Chicago on Saturday (kick off 7pm South African time) in a friendly international against the world champion United States‚ who have long dominated the women’s game.
It is a prestige invitation for Banyana Banyana that would not have been thought possible just years ago.
South Africa languish outside the top 50 of women’s football and have never qualified for a Women’s World Cup.
But their pending trip to the Olympic Games in Brazil has greatly boosted their status and earned them a chance to pit themselves up against the established superpower of women’s football.
Rio will be the second successive Games where South Africa compete in the women’s football tournament‚ after London four years ago.
Unlike the men’s event‚ which is played at under-23 level‚ the women’s competition is at full international level‚ so it is a significant achievement for the South African side.
Banyana arrived in Chicago on Wednesday after a 32-hour journey that will take them several sessions to work out of their legs before the clash at the iconic Soldier’s Field.
“It was much longer than we had anticipated. To adapt to that we had to make some changes to our programme.
“Instead of what we usually do – that is staying up as long as possible to get over jet lag – we did things differently. We let the players sleep early enough to get some rest so that come Saturday we still in the balance‚” said Banyana coach Vera Pauw.
“After a long travel like that we had to do some loosening up‚ which we did at a nearby park from our hotel. This is almost the same thing the team will experience when we travel to Brazil for the Olympics‚ but it will be a shorter flight as it is in the Southern Hemisphere.”
The match is being billed as an Olympic send off for the Americans and kicks off at midday local time.
The US have a full strength squad of 24 for the match which is also designed to finalise the squad for the Olympics‚ where the Americans have strong gold medal hopes. — Tiso Black Star Group Digital