Women's soccer: Africa's best square up
16 September 2004
The fourth African Women's Football Championships kick off in Johannesburg and Pretoria this weekend, with teams from eight countries vying for the trophy that Nigeria has made its own since the inception of the tournament in 1998.
The teams, which have been divided into two groups of four each, are Algeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, defending champions Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The Confederation of African Football asked the SA Football Assocation to host the event at short notice - and for the second time in the space of four years - after original hosts Angola backed out early this year.
South Africa, which assembled a women's soccer team much later than its other counterparts on the continent, finished as runners-up in the 2000 championships in SA, losing 2-0 to Nigeria in the final.
Nigeria also hosted - and won - the 1998 and 2002 championships, beating Ghana 2-0 in the final in both cases.
The
tournament runs from 18 September to 3 October, with matches to be played at the Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria, Johannesburg Stadium and Germiston Stadium.
South Africa and Ghana will open the fourth chapter of the tournament at the Caledonian Stadium on 18 September, followed by Ethiopia versus Zimbabwe at the same venue.
Group B will kick off with a game between Nigeria and Algeria at Johannesburg Stadium on 19 September, followed by Cameroon versus Mali at the same venue.
South Africa's women's soccer team have come a long way since they were first assembled as a national squad in 1993. Banyana Banyana - "The Girls" - are now ranked second in Africa, pushed Nigeria to the brink at the 2003 All Africa Games, and came within one goal of qualifying for the 2004 Olympics.
"We've been preparing for the tournament the past two weeks and everything went well", SA captain Delisile Mbatha told journalists this week. "I think the two teams to beat are Ghana and
Nigeria."
The full programme
Group A
- South Africa v Ghana - 18 September: Caledonian Stadium
- Zimbabwe v Ethiopia - 18 September: Caledonian Stadium
- Ghana v Ethiopia - 21 September: Germiston Stadium
- Zimbabwe v South Africa - 21 September: Germiston Stadium
- Ghana v Zimbabwe - 24 September: Germiston Stadium
- South Africa v Ethiopia - 24 September: Caledonian Stadium
Group B
- Nigeria v Algeria - 19 September: Johannesburg Stadium
- Cameroon v Mali - 19 September: Johannesburg Stadium
- Algeria v Mali - 22 September: Johannesburg Stadium
- Cameroon v Nigeria - 22 September: Johannesburg Stadium
- Algeria v Cameroon - 25 September: Germiston Stadium
- Nigeria v Mali - 25 September: Caledonian Stadium
The semifinals will take place at Johannesburg Stadium on 28
September, with the third and fourth place playoff scheduled for 1 October and the final for 3 October at the same venue.
The South African squad
Delisile Mbatha (Soshanguve All Stars) - Captain
Itumeleng Chimeloane (Sundowns FC)
Gloria Tu Busisiwe Sibanyoni (Springs Home Sweepers)
Hlengiwe Ngwane (University of KwaZulu-Natal)
Rose Jijana (Boipatong Ladies)
Portia Mtokwane (Cape Town Spurs)
Martha Malaku (Hill Gunners)
Thando Dlamini (Soweto Ladies)
Nandipha Mlomo (Free State University)
Phindile Kabini (Detroit)
Antonio Carelse (Cape Town Spurs)
Mpumi Nyandeni (Detroit)
Lydia Monyepao
Portia Modise (Soweto Ladies)
Veronica Phewa (Durban Ladies)
Jo-Anne Solomons (Cape Town Spurs)
Nomathemba Ntsibande (Springs Home Sweepers)
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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