We are African Champions…Banyana Banyana

Nomvula Kgoale (front)

In Dunedin on Friday night, Nomvula Kgoale was overcome with a mix of emotions as she reflected on the performance of her team, coaches, and herself.

Banyana Banyana had a tense match against Argentina in the World Cup group stage, where they initially held a 2-0 lead but ended up with a 2-2 draw. This outcome jeopardized their chances of advancing to the knockout stage, a feat they had never achieved before. However, their hope was reignited when Sweden secured a convincing 5-0 victory over Italy on Saturday, leaving a possibility for Banyana Banyana to reach the last-16. To do so, they needed to win against Le Azzure in their last game on Wednesday and hope that the result between Sweden and Argentina favored them.

The sudden turn of events, which put Banyana’s fate beyond their control, caused a drastic change in Kgoale’s demeanor. Known for her soft-spoken nature, she was transformed into a livid figure in Dunedin.

Kgoale expressed her frustration, saying, “Honestly, I was warming up and getting ready to go on – I can’t really say how the goals went in because I didn’t see both of them as they went in really quick. But I think it was a slip of focus and concentration – you can’t let these games go. It’s art. This is where we win and lose. This is where big players and champions show up. (Friday), we honestly didn’t show up – I am angry. I am angry – I don’t know whether it’s with myself, the players, or the coaches. I don’t know. I am angry at this point.”

The disappointment was evident on Kgoale’s face, her famous lipstick wearing thin as Banyana failed to capitalize on their opportunities for victory.

“The game seemed evenly matched from the beginning, and I’m not surprised it ended in a draw – but as a South African, a Banyana player, and an African champion, I demand more!” Kgoale stated firmly. “I expect more from myself and my teammates. I want to win, to achieve great things – this is where my teammates and I are supposed to show up. This is where we are supposed to show the world who we are, right? But things didn’t go our way – disappointing. We had more than a few chances that we could have buried, but we let them slip. And it was our (game) to lose.”

Though the draw secured Banyana Banyana’s first point in the World Cup, Kgoale refused to find contentment in it. “Yes, South Africa got their first point ever in the World Cup but still for me, it doesn’t make me happy again – I demand more,” she asserted. “I want to go to the Round of 16. I am an African champion with my teammates – it’s supposed to be that way. That’s why we won, and that’s who we are. But we didn’t show that in a way we were supposed to.”

Mihlali Baleka is currently covering the Fifa Women’s World Cup, hosted in Australia and New Zealand, in partnership with Sasol.