"I give credit to the defenders for absorbing the pressure,” said Mbuli.
Banyana Banyana caretaker coach Thinasonke Mbuli has praised her team’s composure and resilience under pressure following their qualification for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The South African women’s senior team booked their place in next year’s edition in Morocco after beating DR Congo 1-0 in a second-leg qualifier (2-1 on aggregate) at the Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday night.
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Thembi Kgatlana scored the only goal of the match in Soweto.
Mbuli, who led Banyana in the game against the DRC in the absence of coach Desiree Ellis who sources say is embroiled in a contractual dispute with SAFA, was full of praise for her charges.
“I mentioned yesterday that we had to win, and yes, we felt frustrated towards the end of the game because it was 0-0 and they were coming at us. I give credit to the defenders for absorbing the pressure,” Mbuli told SAFA media before reflecting on the team’s preparations for the WAFCON.
“We have a window that’s coming up now in November, which is the last FIFA window for the year. We’re hoping we can get a friendly match because the tricky part for us now is that WAFCON is in March and our league is off during that time.
“Our players in December will be off, and by the beginning of March, WAFCON kicks off. We’re going to have to find a balance between players going off-season and remaining active.”
SAFA congratulates Banyana
Meanwhile, SAFA President Danny Jordaan congratulated Banyana Banyana for qualifying for the WAFCON.
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“In preparations, we understood the style of South African football and Banyana Banyana, but not necessarily the individual players. We understood how the team plays as a collective, but we didn’t pick up on each individual player,” he said.
