Janine Van Wyk says she is happy and grateful that the Banyana Banyana coaching staff allowed her to reach her dreams as she gears to leave the football stage.
Van Wyk who officially bowed out of the domestic game last week started her penultimate international match when Banyana drew 1-1 with Burkina Faso in the first leg of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday night though she was substituted in the 39th minute.
The match in which she also captained was her 184th one equalled Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan’s.
If played in the return leg in Pretoria next Monday she will become the highest-capped player on the African continent both men and women. The 36-year-old admits the result wasn’t what the team wanted but hopes for a better showing from the African champions in her last match in Green and Gold.
“I’m very happy that the coaching staff has given me this opportunity to step onto the field and very grateful to my teammates supporting me,” said Van Wyk to SAFA media.
“It’s 184 caps, one cap to go and just happy to be here with the team and unfortunate that we didn’t get the results that we came here for but we have one leg to go which I’m sure will be a positive one.
“It’s good that we scored a goal and unfortunate that we conceded one. That’s not what we wanted coming here but knowing they have to come to South Africa where we are very strong in our game, we have the supporters behind us.
“We saw against Congo in the last game that we dominated every game that we played home and away. And I think if we can just now that we know how they play Burkina Faso I think we can just capitalise on their weakness. Yeah unlucky for the result but we have one more chance to go and I’m pretty sure it will be a good result for us.”
