Gone are those days now!

Let me also congratulate Banyana Banyana as they reached the knockout stages of the CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco. Our ladies top Group C with seven points from their three matches, having conceded just one goal while they scored an incredible seven. I wish them all the best as they look to defend their title.

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Congratulations to our U20 team for winning the COSAFA U20 Youth Championship, beating Malawi 3-0 in the final, in Namibia this past weekend. This is really important for our football and the fact that our team comprised mostly of U17 players is great for the future and the preparations for the upcoming U17 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Our Banyana Banyana are representing us well in Morocco where they are defending their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) trophy which they won in the same country in 2022 against the hosts. We went into the tournament as one of the favourites to win it and therefore one of the teams everyone is gunning for. After watching them beat a tough Ghana team 2-0 in the opening match, I was impressed because it wasn't as easy a game as they made it look. There were moments where Ghana was knocking and putting a lot of pressure on our team. I think they hit the crossbar three or four times, which goes to show that it was not as easy as the scoreline suggested. Andile Dlamini also made some crucial saves, and I believe she's undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers Banyana have ever had. The ever cool, calm and collected Linda Motlhalo was in her element and she reminded me of the iconic and legendary John “Shoes” Moshoeu with the way she took her penalty and how she calmly influenced the game. Linda is a thorn in the midfield and makes things happen with some defence-splitting passes. Surely, the opposition should have been aware of this because that's something she does all the time. Also, when you look at Jermaine Seoposenwe who is a dynamic forward, you realise that she causes a lot of damage for the opponents, but they still leave her unchecked at times. Her quality is there for everyone to see, and it is no surprise that she plies her trade abroad. She's got unbelievable speed and a big heart.

On pre-tournament fears