Bonolo Mokoma returns to Banyana Banyana squad for Madagascar Olympic qualifiers

Bonolo Mokoma says she is determined to make an impact after returning to the Banyana Banyana squad for next month’s back-to-back CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifiers against Madagascar.

The 18-year-old forward has been recalled to Desiree Ellis’ 24-player squad for the second-round ties, which will be played in Bloemfontein on 9 and 13 October.

Mokoma missed out on the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations but says her return to the national setup has given her another chance to contribute to the team.

“I’m really happy to be back with the national team. This is a sweet return for me, especially after missing out on the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations,” she told SABC Sport.

“I really want to show up for the team and be impactful in these important qualifiers. I’m looking forward to playing again, working hard with the team and hopefully getting a good result against Madagascar.”

The teenager believes Banyana Banyana must use home advantage effectively as they pursue qualification for the Olympics.

She also called on supporters to attend the matches in large numbers and provide the team with additional encouragement.

“These qualifiers are very important to us because we want to qualify for the Olympics,” Mokoma said.

“Playing at home is also exciting because we’ll have our supporters behind us, and we want to make them proud. I urge supporters to come out and give us the extra push.”

Mokoma added that Banyana Banyana would need to approach both matches with an attacking mindset and put Madagascar under sustained pressure.

“These games are a must win, we have to put pressure on the opponents,” she said.

The forward is also encouraged by the quality and unity within Ellis’ squad, saying the players are challenging one another to improve while maintaining a positive team spirit.

“I think we have a strong squad with a lot of talented players. Everyone is working hard and pushing each other and the team has a really good spirit,” she said.

“I’m excited to see what we can achieve together, and I really think we have the capacity to go all the way.”