Mathibela: The current Banyana team is special & hungry to lift the WAFCON

The rise of Banyana Banyana in international football is heartwarming to those who have walked the path before. This is exactly how former Banyana Banyana captain Keneilwe Mathibela is feeling about the team following their qualification to their second consecutive FIFA Women™s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.

Coach Desiree Ellis™ Banyana team beat Tunisia 1-0 in the last eight of the Women™s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournament currently underway in Morocco. Mathibela says the fruits of their hard work back in the days is benefiting the current generation.

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œIt™s a very emotional situation given that we™ve been there, we literally been knocking on the door for years and in most instances the group that I was with at the time, actually looking back they would say only two teams qualify or just one team so we literally sometimes just at the almost-we were almost there but we were never there

œBut this is a great achievement and it also come back to showing that the work that we are doing now we might not reap fruits right now, but for the future generation that™s coming behind us we are opening doors".

"That™s why it™s also important for us to be passionate, to be patient, to continue to fight and grow and build a clear path for those who are coming behind us. So I™m very honoured-it™s a great honour to be seeing this, being influentially in helping the coming generation as well and I wish them nothing but all the best said Mathibela.

Banyana will now meet the Copper Queens of Zambia in the first semi-final match to be played at the Mohammed V stadium in Morocco at 19:00 on Monday. After losing on penalties to the Super Falcons of Nigeria in the 2008 final, Mathibela believes Banyana have got what it takes to lift the trophy this time around.

By Velile Mnyandu