5 August 2019 – Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has made six changes to the squad that will face Madagascar in the third and final group stages match of the 2019 COSAFA Women’s Championship currently underway in Port Elizabeth.
The clash against the Islanders takes place this afternoon (Monday, 5 August) and kickoff is at 12h45.
Andile Dlamini is back in goals in place of Kaylin Swart.
Bambanani Mbane also returns in the absence the injured captain, Janine van Wyk who has been ruled out of the tournament.
Mbane will play alongside with Tiisetso Makhubela in the heart of defence.
Also coming back into the fray are Kholosa Biyana for Ongeziwe Ndlangisa, Mamello Makhabane for Busisiwe Ndimeni, Noxolo Cesane in for Hildah Magaia and Ode Fulutudilu for Amanda Mthandi.
Makhabane will be playing in her 100thmatch for South Africa.
Keeping their places are Lebohang Ramalepe and Bongeka Gamede as full backs, captain Refiloe Jane in midfield, and Robyn Moodaly on the wing.
Only Ramalepe, Jane, Gamede and Tiisetso will be starting their third games in a row, while Cesane will get her first start in a Banyana Banyana shirt – even though she will be playing her third match in a row after coming on as a substitute in the first two clashes (Comoros and Malawi).
South Africa and Madagascar met in the opening match of the 2018 edition of the tournament, with South Africa running out 2-1 winners – goals coming from Khanya Xesi and Nothando Vilakazi.
Banyana Banyana need just one point to secure top spot in the Group.
They have six points at the top of the table, followed by Madagascar level on three points with Malawi, while Comoros is fourth with no points.
In the other Group A fixture, Malawi face Comoros at the Gelvandale Stadium, also at 12h45.
MADAGASCAR FACT FILE
- Will feature at the COSAFA Women’s Championships for the third time
- Missed the first four instalments of the regional showpiece competition
- The country only recently played their first official international
- Their first official FIFA-sanctioned game was a 3-1 loss to Botswana in the qualifiers for the African Women’s Championships in 2015, though other selections did play matches before that
- The team has steadily improved since then and finished runners-up at the 2015 Indian Ocean Games, losing in the decider to Reunion
- In 2017 they had a tough introduction to the COSAFA Women’s Championship, losing all three of their matches to Zimbabwe (0-4), Malawi (3-6) and Zambia (1-7)
- But they proved more competitive in 2018, drawing with Botswana (0-0) and suffering narrow defeats to South Africa (1-2) and Malawi (0-2).
COSAFA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS:
GROUP A FIXTURES
12h45 – South Africa vs Madagascar – Wolfson Stadium
12h45 – Malawi vs Comoros – Gelvandale Stadium
STANDINGS:
GROUP A P W D L GF GA PTS
South Africa 2 2 0 0 20 1 6
Madagascar 2 1 0 1 5 3 3
Malawi 2 1 0 1 3 3 3
Comoros Islands 2 0 0 2 1 22 0
Banyana Banyana XI vs Madagascar
Andile Dlamini (GK), Lebohang Ramalepe, Bambanani Mbane, Tiisetso Makhubela, Bongeka Gamede, Kholosa Biyana, Robyn Moodaly, Refiloe Jane (c), Ode Fulutudilu, Mamello Makhabane, Noxolo Cesane
Subs:
Kaylin Swart (GK), Noko Matlou, Hildah Magaia, Amanda Mthandi, Ongeziwe Ndlangisa, Priscilla Pesa, Shange Sthembile, Busisiwe Ndimeni
Injured:
Janine van Wyk
Head Coach: Desiree Ellis