Banyana Banyana’s World Cup fate is in their hands after Sweden did them a huge favour yesterday with a 5-0 hammering of Italy in a Fifa World Cup Group G match at the Wellington Regional Stadium in New Zealand.
Only a victory against Italy in Wellington on Wednesday will help Banyana progress to the last 16 of the global showpiece for the first time in their second appearance.
Banyana lost their opening game to Sweden, and placed themselves in a tight spot when they lost a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Argentina in Dunedin on Friday.
The mammoth task is not lost to coach Desiree Ellis. “Well, we have to win. There’s no two ways about it,” Ellis said on Friday after seeing her side throw away a chance to win their first match in a World Cup.
Argentina, though starting the final round at the bottom of the group after losing 1-0 to Italy in the first match, may still also make the last 16.
The Argentinians need to do the impossible by beating the 3rd-ranked Swedes at the FMG Stadium Waikato on Wednesday, and hope that Banyana, who are on the same goal difference (-1) and point (1) with them, lose to Italy by a better score.
Both matches kick off at 9am (SA time).
A draw for Italy against Banyana may still be in favour of Argentina because the Italians have a -4 goal difference after their humiliating defeat to Sweden.
But the Italians may only need to draw against Banyana to make the quarterfinals for the third time, as long as Sweden don’t lose against Argentina.
Ellis was furious after Banyana, not for the first time in this tournament, gave away their lead. Banyana had taken a second-half advantage in their opening match against Sweden but failed to avoid a 2-1 loss after allowing the Swedes to head in the winner from a corner kick in the last minute.
What irked Ellis most about the Argentina result was the number of chances her players missed. “No, we were magnificent in defence. I think it’s the decision-making (up-front), more than anything.
“If players are in better positions, and you see the goal in front of you and you want to shoot and you’re not looking around to place the ball to someone in a better position, I think that needs to be better.”
Ellis might have been taking a pot shot at her star striker Thembi Kgatlana, the scorer of the second goal against Argentina in the second-half, and the player who laid the assist for Linda Motlhalo to open the scoring in Friday’s match.
In both matches, Kgatlana had moments where she could have laid a pass or two to her teammates but chose to take the chance herself.
“I think with intensity, sometimes you have a rush of blood to the head,” Ellis said of her charges’ poor decisions in matches. “But it’s got to be better decisions. For me, it doesn’t matter who scores. For me, if she and you score, we win.”
But what has been glaring about Banyana is the waning of their game, especially after 70 minutes. This may reflect their ill preparation for the tournament, and how Ellis prepares her team for the latter stages of the game.
At times, too, Ellis’ substitutions didn’t help the team, especially when they were under attack.
Ellis admitted that the result against Argentina hurt her more because she felt they were in better control of the game than they were against Sweden. But the stats revealed a different picture: Argentina had 61% possession to Banyana's 64%, and had 75% pass accuracy.
Where Banyana matched Argentina was in attempts to score (13), but still the Argentinians were better by one in terms of shots on target (5).
The whole scenario points to a Banyana side that starts well but ends in disarray; something they can’t afford against the Italians — who finished better and scored a late winner in their opening match against Argentina.
“Very hurt and very disappointed,” said Ellis of their performance against Argentina. “But I’ve got to believe because it comes from me. If I don’t believe, then the belief doesn’t sit [well] with the players.
“I think we’re all disappointed. I think Linda (Motlhalo) is very disappointed. I thought she was magnificent today (Friday) and that’s the Linda that we know.”
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