The South African senior women’s national team, Banyana Banyana have left for Equatorial Guinea for what is perhaps the biggest battle of their lives.

The South African senior women’s national team, Banyana Banyana have left for Equatorial Guinea for what is perhaps the biggest battle of their lives.

South Africa faces the home side in a match that will decide who will be one of the two representatives of the African continent at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil scheduled for August.

The battle royale takes place on Sunday, 18 October at Estadio de Bata in Equatorial Guinea. Kickoff is at 17h00 South African time.

The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana held a training session earlier in the day to compete their home preparations before boarding the five-hour charter flight to Bata.

The South Africans will have their final training session at the match venue on Saturday, 17 October.

“Without putting you under any pressure, go out there and conquer. The good thing about this match is that your fate is in your hands. This is perhaps the most important 90 minutes of your lives – make it count. We have great confidence and belief in you that you will return victorious but only if you believe in yourselves,” said SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan.

“You were able to hold them to a goalless in your backyard, now what is left is for you to go and finish the good job you started. Some of you have been to the Olympic Games and you know how it feels like, some of you have never been there and you want to experience it – it all boils down to the 90 minutes before you. Good luck, go fly the South African flag high.”

Sasol Group Sponsorship Manager, Richard Hughes also wished the team well ahead of their final encounter against Equatorial Guinea.

“Sasol Banyana Banyana have fought hard to reach this point in their journey to qualify for the Olympics next year. With all the intensive preparations under the belt, we send the team off with our very best wishes, knowing that they will give it their all during the match,” said Hughes.

With the first leg having ended in a goalless draw, should the second leg finish the same the match will move into extra-time. If there is still no winner, there will be a penalty shootout.

The winner between South Africa and Equatorial Guinea will qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next year.