Banyana Banyana qualified for the CAF African Women’s championships scheduled for Cameroon in scintillating style after dispatching Botswana on a cool evening at Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa on Tuesday evening, 12 April 2016.

Banyana Banyana…………………………(3) 3

Botswana………………………………..0

(Banyana Banyana qualify for the AWC in Cameroon 5-0 on aggregate)

Banyana Banyana qualified for the CAF African Women’s championships scheduled for Cameroon in scintillating style after dispatching Botswana on a cool evening at Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa on Tuesday evening, 12 April 2016.

The in-form senior women’s national team are one of the two African teams, together with Zimbabwe, going to the 2016 Rio Olympics and the qualification for the AWC cemented their claim as one of the fastest rising women’s teams on the globe.

The qualification also underscored the regularity in which South African national teams are beginning to qualify for major tournaments on the continent and globally and becoming a major force to reckon with.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg in Botswana, the home team wanted to put the match to bed as early as possible and in the 3rd minute Sanah Mollo lobbed over the bar from inside the box and moments later found herself face to face with the opposition goalkeeper but failed to convert.

Urged on by a good crowd and a brass band on a vibrant evening in the East Rand, the Vera Pauw ladies poured forward and were always a threat when going for the attack.

After sustained pressure, Banyana Banyana were awarded the penalty in the 18th minute which was coolly converted by Mamello Makhabane with aplomb to give the home side a 1-0 early lead.

Seven minutes later, Mollo finished a well constructed move which saw her receive a delicate pass from captain Janine van Wyk before slotting past a stranded Lesedilame Bosija for a 2-0 scoreline on the night.

It was soon 3-0 when Nompumelelo Nyandeni’s vicious shot took a massive deflection giving the visitors keeper no chance as the home side started to put on the show.

The home side went to break leading 3-0.

With such a massive cushion, Banyana Banyana predictably took the foot off the pedal as they ran rings around the visitors who were also content to minimise further damage.

Apart from qualifying for AWC, it was a night to remember for record setting Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk who was playing in her 127th match for the national team.