The celebrations were so wild that you could hear Jermaine Seoposenwe breathing heavily over the phone as she tried to explain what she and her Banyana Banyana teammates were feeling after the final whistle was blown.
“This means the world to all of us,” the Banyana heroine said after scoring the goal which secured 2016 Rio Olympic qualification ahead of Equatorial Guinea in Bata on Sunday.
Seoposenwe latched on to Amanda Dlamini’s delightful pass from midfield and the striker, seen as the heiress apparent to the retired Portia Modise, held her nerve to seal a memorable 1-0 victory and arguably one of the finest.
If qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics was great, then the latest feat is even greater.
Take nothing away from what former coach Joseph Mkhonza did with the crop of 2012, who beat Ethiopia away from home to qualify. It was a great achievement, but this group overcame a giant in women’s football on the continent to do it.
This is a country that had beaten Banyana twice in the final of the African Women’s Championship, in 2008 and 2012, and they participated in the World Cup in 2011. So to beat them in Bata to qualify for a major even is a very big achievement.
Under loads of pressure after wasting chances in the goalless draw first leg at Makhulong Stadium in Johannesburg a fortnight ago, Banyana went into Sunday’s clash in Bata knowing very well that they had to take their opportunities and stay disciplined in defence to stop Equatorial Guinea’s lethal striker Jade, who finished the qualifying campaign with five goals.
They delivered and now their next stop is Rio, where they’ll be hoping to finally get a first victory at the Olympics after finishing the 2012 campaign with just one point.
“It was a tough game,” Seoposenwe said. “We had to work as a team and we had to bring our all. We could not doubt ourselves.
“This shows that we are a good team and that we should always be confident in our ability. We are growing as a nation and we are getting better as a team.”
After missing a sitter in the first leg, Seoposenwe knew she had to deliver when the team needed her most.
“As a striker there are chances you are going to miss. But it’s about how hard you work. I know it’s my job to score goals.
“As soon as I scored I knew we all worked for it. It was an amazing feeling, but it’s never just about me.
Seoposenwe praised coach Vera Pauw for remaining calm before the match, despite the pressure that was on her shoulders.
“There has been so much disappointment, so obviously she was under pressure. But she knows how to handle pressure. She helped us get over our anxiety before the game.”
Mission accomplished, and the pressure is off Pauw. For now.
It’s mission accomplished for Banyana
“This means the world to all of us,” the Banyana heroine said after scoring the goal which secured 2016 Rio Olympic qualification ahead of Equatorial Guinea in Bata on Sunday.
Seoposenwe latched on to Amanda Dlamini’s delightful pass from midfield and the striker, seen as the heiress apparent to the retired Portia Modise, held her nerve to seal a memorable 1-0 victory and arguably one of the finest.
If qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics was great, then the latest feat is even greater.
Take nothing away from what former coach Joseph Mkhonza did with the crop of 2012, who beat Ethiopia away from home to qualify. It was a great achievement, but this group overcame a giant in women’s football on the continent to do it.
This is a country that had beaten Banyana twice in the final of the African Women’s Championship, in 2008 and 2012, and they participated in the World Cup in 2011. So to beat them in Bata to qualify for a major even is a very big achievement.
Under loads of pressure after wasting chances in the goalless draw first leg at Makhulong Stadium in Johannesburg a fortnight ago, Banyana went into Sunday’s clash in Bata knowing very well that they had to take their opportunities and stay disciplined in defence to stop Equatorial Guinea’s lethal striker Jade, who finished the qualifying campaign with five goals.
They delivered and now their next stop is Rio, where they’ll be hoping to finally get a first victory at the Olympics after finishing the 2012 campaign with just one point.
“It was a tough game,” Seoposenwe said. “We had to work as a team and we had to bring our all. We could not doubt ourselves.
“This shows that we are a good team and that we should always be confident in our ability. We are growing as a nation and we are getting better as a team.”
After missing a sitter in the first leg, Seoposenwe knew she had to deliver when the team needed her most.
“As a striker there are chances you are going to miss. But it’s about how hard you work. I know it’s my job to score goals.
“As soon as I scored I knew we all worked for it. It was an amazing feeling, but it’s never just about me.
Seoposenwe praised coach Vera Pauw for remaining calm before the match, despite the pressure that was on her shoulders.
“There has been so much disappointment, so obviously she was under pressure. But she knows how to handle pressure. She helped us get over our anxiety before the game.”
Mission accomplished, and the pressure is off Pauw. For now.
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