The ‘breadwinner’ of Banyana Banyana, Hildah Magaia, has been announced as ready for today’s group G match against Argentina as South Africa seeks to get their FIFA Women’s World Cup on track.
After losing 2-1 to Sweden in the opening match, Desiree Ellis’s team had to painfully witness a 1-0 lead disappear right in front of their eyes. Magaia, who scored the opener, injured her wrist in the same match, leading to suggestions that she might miss the rest of the tournament.
Regardless of her readiness to play, Ellis states that whoever she chooses understands the weight of responsibility. Nevertheless, the Banyana mentor does not underestimate Magaia’s significance.
“When Hileda gets in front of the goal, most of the time she will put it in the back of the net, and we witnessed that in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
“She is highly influential and versatile, able to play in front of the front three. Although she sometimes starts from the left side, she can also drift to the center. However, we do not focus only on one player because everyone in our team can score, and we take pride in our teamwork,” Ellis told the media before the game.
The Banyana mentor acknowledges that her team is at fault for not being resolute in defense and not taking advantage of their chances against Sweden. Nonetheless, Ellis has left no stone unturned in preparing for the match against Argentina.
“After such an outstanding performance against Sweden, we draw many positives from it. I believe that we were solid defensively until the very end, and going into this game against Argentina is crucial. Winning the match alone is not enough; we also need to score goals to have a realistic chance in the last match,” said Ellis.
“We have analyzed them, and I am certain they have done the same. We have taken the positives and examined how we can improve. We will always create scoring opportunities, and we have dedicated a lot of effort to our finishing, ensuring that players are in better positions and passing the ball effectively. If our defense remains solid, we will achieve the positive results we need.”
The match is scheduled for the early hours of Thursday morning at 2 am South African time. Follow this link for comprehensive game details.
