Bantwana vs Primera División team Valencia CF Femenino
Bantwana have learned a lot from interacting with this well-coached team, whose ambitions to elevate the women’s game align with LaLiga’s own goals
LaLiga is about much more than the best in football. It is a 360-degree experience, combining sport with Spanish culture, art, music, leisure activities and gastronomical delights. With their trip to Valencia made possible by a partnership between LaLiga and SAFA, South Africa’s U17 Women’s Team have been exposed to every one of these aspects.
On Day 6 of their visit to Valencia – a key component of the squad’s preparations for November’s U17 Women’s World Cup – the players got a chance to enjoy more of the region’s cuisine via the popular restaurant at TRYP Valencia Azafata Hotel, where they are staying. Spanish food celebrates local produce and natural resources, reflecting Spanish culture in its choice of seasonal ingredients and diverse regional specialities.
In the early evening, the SA team will once again receive the career-boosting opportunity of playing in Europe when they face Valencia CF Femenino (Under-20s) in a friendly at Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna. This healthy competition between two women’s teams saw a sharing and transference of skills that will support and develop women’s football around the globe – a current major objective of LaLiga. Valencia’s women’s team has been growing from strength to strength since its inception in 1998, breaking into the Liga Iberdrola less than a decade later. Although the South African players were held to a 1-1 draw by The Valencians, Bantwana have learned a lot from interacting with this well-coached team, whose ambitions to elevate the women’s game align with LaLiga’s own goals.
