Banyana Banyana striker Thembi Kgatlana says it’s good to be back in the senior national team fold after missing the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament in June this year.
Kgatlana withdrew from the Banyana WAFCON squad owing to undisclosed personal reasons which led to speculations there could be issues between her and SAFA and/or the coach. She is back in the team for the first time since the April international friendlies having linked up with Banyana in Johannesburg for the 2nd leg of the qualifying tie for the next African spectacle against DR Congo.
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The former Women’s African Footballer of the Year also clarified that her absence had nothing to do with the Association and/or the coach as she was also absent from her club UANL Tigres.
“Yeah, it’s amazing, always an honour to come back and represent the country,” said the 29-year-old.
“I’m in good spirits, I’m healthy and for me, that’s very important to be able to add up to what the team needs of me. I never had personal issues.
“I mean everyone had opinions, but I never had personal issues. Actually, it was something personal that I had to do and nothing to do with the Federation but me and my family. Everything is fine.
“And thank you to the Federation, to also my club, because I was absent for a really long time with my club, and thank you for the support that they’ve given me to be able to focus on the things that I needed to do.”
Thembi Confident Banyana Can Seal WAFCON Qualification
Ahead of the deciding qualifying leg with Congo, Kgatlana is pleased that the former African champions were able to get the all-important away goal last week, adding that chances are very high that Banyana can seal qualification at home.
“Yeah, I mean they [chances to qualify] are high,” added Kgatlana.
“We are coming here we had about four players that were not here which are regular players in the starting line-up to be able to help the team.
“We already watched the video. We already know what the game plan is. The coaches have brought us into speed to be able to understand what they need.
“We saw the strength; we saw the weaknesses. But I think now that we are playing at home, the home ground advantage for us to be able to play for our fans, and to be able to regroup and get the confidence that we need to give to the country.”
As far as the absence of head coach Dr Desiree Ellis from this camp is concerned, Kgatlana would not be drawn into commenting on that saying that’s a matter between SAFA and the coach.
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