Brazil bring big guns for Banyana

The Brazilians women™s senior national football team to play Banyana Banyana in two international friendlies in the next few days has landed in the country and they have brought a strong squad filled with full international players also based in Europe.

This was confirmed to SABC Sport by the Team Manager Ana Lorena, who revealed that amongst some of the players in the current squad is Barcelona™s Geyse and Arsenal defender Rafaelle.

œWe have half of our players play in Brazil and another play in Europe or in United States, we have two girls that are arriving from United States. So we have good players and a very good team, said Lorena.

In a game that pits the newly crowned African champions against the record eight-time South American champions-the two teams will meet at the Orlando stadium at 18:00 on Friday and the second game will take place at the Moses Mabhida stadium next Monday also at 18:00.

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With both teams having qualified for the FIFA Women™s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year Lorena says this trip is very important for them, to also raise the standard of women™s football in the two continents.

œYes, now we are saying we are on the way for the World Cup so we need to find good teams and from different continent, so its different cultures of playing its very important to play against different [countries] because we are going to play Asian teams, African teams or North America so it™s going to be very important to have a lot of different teams-kind of styles [of play], so for to come here it is good for our preparation

Also, in attendance to welcome the Brazilians women™s side was the SAFA President Danny Jordaan and he has also emphasized the strong relations between the two countries that stem from politically as members of Brics.

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œBut also Brazil and South Africa have a very warm and long relationship. The first support we got for our World Cup for 2010, was from Brazil and you've worked wonders for us in South America, gave us all the support, so we continue that friendship and that relationship.

œYour men™s team was here three times already in as well in 2010 World Cup, I look forward to welcome women™s team. What a better place is to bring South American Champions and African Champions to play so welcome and look forward to wonderful football, œsaid Jordaan.

By Velile Mnyandu