OPINION: Banyana are the best SA football team in history

Banyana Banyana have threatened to shock the world for the entire Fifa Women’s World Cup, and at last, they did so on Wednesday in the most dramatic fashion.

Another see-saw of a game to fray the nerves of all those watching back in South Africa was settled by Thembi Kgatlana‘s stoppage time winner, a 3-2 Group G victory over Italy enough to send Desiree Ellis’s side into the last 16.

This is now, indisputably, the best South African national team to play the game, whether on the side of the men or the women.

The African champions are the first South African side of either gender to reach the knockout stages of a Fifa World Cup, and have done so despite all the obstacles that women’s football in South Africa is up against.

No professional league

For starters, as former Banyana Banyana captain Janine Van Wyk pointed out yesterday, there is still no professional league in the country.

For seconds, this Banyana side have achieved the impossible on the back of a lack of support, exemplified in the chaos that met their departure from South Africa for Australia and New Zealand.

The South African Football Association, in the midst of a bonus row with the team, didn’t allow Banyana to play their send-off match against Botswana at Tsakane Stadium, fielding a team of other players, organised at the last minute.

Bonuses

Surely now, Safa will wake up and realise that these ladies deserve all the bonus cash that is sent their way. The players are guaranteed over R1 million each from Fifa for reaching the last 16, as well as the funds put forward by the Motsepe Foundation, who stepped in at the last minute to fill the gap when Safa seemed unwilling.

Banyana will be underdogs again on Sunday when they take on the Netherlands, the world’s ninth ranked team. But with the spirit they have displayed so far, even in defeat to Sweden and in a draw with Argentina, no one can rule out another Banyana shock.

This has also, after all, been a world cup of surprises so far, with Jamaica the latest to stun the globe as they qualified yesterday for the last 16 ahead of Brazil.