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I knew Thembi would get better offers – Matlou
'I knew with the way Thembi was performing that she would be offered a deal somewhere', says the Banyana veteran.
Thembi Kgatlana and Noko Matlou. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Life in the Basque country Eibar, in Spain, seems to be going well for Banyana Banyana defender Noko Matlou, who is currently on her second season with SD Eibar’s ladies team and she says she didn’t find it hard to adapt.
Matlou joined the Spanish club late in 2020 from MaIndies FC at the age of 34-years old, where she linked up with Banyana teammate Thembi Kgatlana.
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But, Kgatlana would go on to move to Atletico Madrid ladies the following year, and having spent a few months with her at Eibar, Matlou says she wasn’t surprised by the move.
“I knew with the way Thembi was performing that she would be offered a deal somewhere, she was doing well at the club. So, I didn’t have any doubt that she will leave the club and join a big one where she will be competing with other teams that are competing in the champions league,” said Matlou, who is currently 36-years old.
“It was not difficult for me to adapt from my first season when I came here and this season it has been easy for me. My highlight at the club since I arrived at the club was helping the club survive relegation and being among players of the week on some few occasions.”
But, this season didn’t start well for the defender after she got injured prior to the start of the campaign. However, having recovered she has been featuring a lot for the club, but the team hasn’t been getting positive results, something she hopes will change with the club yet again facing relegation, as they sit in 15th place on the 16 teams league with 16 points from 22 games.
“It took me three months before I came back. And now, since I came back everything is going well and I have been playing a lot of games, it’s a pity the results have not been going our way. But I hope it will get better.”
Matlou is currently in camp with Banyana, with the senior national women’s team preparing to take on Algeria in a two leg tie for the final round of the Caf Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Friday at Orlando Stadium and on the 23rd in Algiers.
