Banyana Banyana got off to a winning start in their opening game of the Aisha Buhari Cup in Nigeria, with an impressive 3-0 win over Ghana.
It was a dominant start from the South Africans, many playing together for the first time in two years, and they dictated terms from the onset. Ghana’s goal was under the cosh from the start, and only some good last ditch defending denied Banyana in the opening ten minutes.
And Banyana were in front in the 18th minute when Hildah Magaia followed up after the ball struck the cross bar to score a simple head-in, after some good work in the build up by Thembi Kgatlana.
But it wasn’t all one way traffic and just before halftime Kaylin Swart had to make a good save to keep Banyana in the lead, while at the other end Gabriela Salgado hit the crossbar in stoppage time, and it remained 1-0 at the break.
Swart had to be alert again in the 53rd minute, as she made a good save to deny Vivian Konadu.
But it was 2-0 a minute later, as Kgatlana showed her class, the Atletico Madrid forward racing clear of the defenders, into the box, before rounding the goalkeeper and tapping home.
And it was 3-0 in the 84th minute as Sibulele Holweni headed in from a corner to wrap up the result.
While the win could’ve been by a much bigger margin, coach Desiree Ellis should be pleased by what she saw from her charges.
