16 September 2019 –The South African U-17 Women’s National Team is in a rebuilding phase, with new players drafted in.
The squad is currently in a training camp preparing for the 2019 COSAFA U-17 Women’s Championship scheduled to be played from 20 –29 September in Mauritius.
Listen as head coach Simphiwe Dludlu talks about preparations, the pressure of doing well in the regional tournament, and also about naming a new captain.
Sibulele Holweni was the last captain of the squad but has now moved on to the SA U-20 Women’s National Team and Banyana Banyana.
Dludlu says she is still to decide who between Jessica Wade and Shakira O’Malley will lead the new team.
At only 16 years old, Wade plays for both Bantwana (SA U-17 Women’s National Team) and Basetsana (SA U-20 Women’s National Team) –and she was part of the Bantwana squad that played in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay in 2018.
Dludlu was speaking after her side beat a Soweto Select squad 6-0 in a practice match on Sunday, 15 September at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto where Wade scored two of the goals.
This was their second preparation match ahead of the tournament –last week they the defeated JVW FC U-17 team 3-1.
Bantwana depart for Mauritius on Thursday, 19 September and have been drawn in Group B alongside Seychelles, Botswana and Madagascar.
Here is what Dludlu had to say: