Banyana Banyana beat Japan 1-0 in their second friendly international at J-Green Saika Main Field in Osaka on Tuesday morning.
Head coach Desiree Ellis made three changes to the side that got hammered 5-0 in the first friendly over the weekend.
Kaylin Swart ahead of Andile Dlamini in goals, Bongeka Gamede for Nonhalnhla Mthandi and & Thembi Kgatlana for Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado. Their hosts made wholesome changes leaving just Seiki Kiko from the first match.
Swart was called in to make a save inside the opening minutes of the game with Remina Chiba proving to be a handful early on. However, the South Africans won a corner-kick in the ninth minute. Captain Refiloe Jane on the occasion of her 150th appearance stepped up, swung the ball into the box where Linda Motlhalo jumped the highest to break the deadlock.
The Japanese didn’t drop their heads, and they continued to maintain possession and create more chances. Honoka Hayashi tested Swart in the 26th minute but found the JVW goalkeeper up to task. There was another scary moment for Banyana in the 34th minute where they were saved by the woodwork as Manaka Matsukubo looked to equalise for her side. Three minutes to break Banyana defence was caught in sixes and sevens allowing for Kiko to take an aim at goal and missed the target by an inch.
South Africa returned from the break unchanged while Japan wrung in three changes. Japan won a set-piece five minutes into the second half Yuka Momiki took it and Swart made a save. Momika tested Swart from rage minutes later with her effort going just over the bar.
Banyana survived another nervy moment 20 minutes to time after a Japanese corner kick, Hinata Miyazawa’s ball was cleared off the line by Karabo Dhlamini as Swart was off position.
In the 79th minute, the hosts came close to the equalizer, but Swart pulled off another one-hand save by tipping the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick.
The crossbar then came to Banyana’s rescue two minutes from time as South Africa held on for the famous win.
Banyana are using the friendlies as part of their preparations for the upcoming Women’s Cup if Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco in July.
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