Home Sport Botswana friendly will be Banyana’s grand World Cup ‘send-off’

Botswana friendly will be Banyana’s grand World Cup ‘send-off’

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Banyana Banyana will take on Botswana in a friendly international to be played at Tsakane Stadium, in the East Rand, on Sunday, 2 July 2023.

Banyana Banyana players during training.
FILE – Banyana Banyana will be playing one final game before they had off to the World Cup. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Cape Town – Banyana Banyana are set to conclude their 2023 Women’s World Cup preparations with a ‘send off’ match against neighbours Botswana.

The current holders of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title will face ‘The Mares’ in a friendly international to be played at Tsakane Stadium, in the East Rand, on Sunday, 2 July 2023.

Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis will look to use this match as part of her final touch ups before her side jets off to the global spectacle co-hosted in Australia and New Zealand between 20 July – 20 August 2023.

Having conquered the continent last June, Banyana will be amongst the four African nations that will represent the continent at the global showpiece alongside Zambia, Morocco and Nigeria.

Ellis resembled an airing of thankfulness about her as she revealed how pleased she was at adding a good side in Botswana as part of their build up.

“We just want to thank the Football Association for getting us a send-off match. We know it has been a difficult task, we are really grateful and we ask the fans to come out in their numbers to support this team and to give us a fantastic send-off,” said Ellis.

She further added : “We look forward to playing the match and we thank Botswana as well for coming forward to play this send-off match.”

The experienced mentor waved away any concerns of her side treating the match as an occasion rather than a football match and promised those in attendance a very competitive match.

“It’s a huge match for us, the last match before we leave the shores of South Africa. We really want to put up a good performance and again we urge the fans to come out and really give us a fantastic send-off.”

The two sides are no strangers to each other having met last year in the WAFCON, with Banyana edging Botswana by just a single goal.

@ScribeSmiso

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