Banyana midfielder Motlhalo insists South Africa will not panic after Tanzania shock

Banyana Banyana midfielder Linda Motlhalo says South Africa will not allow panic to set in despite a shock 2-1 defeat by Tanzania in their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) Group B opener in Casablanca.

The defending champions were stunned by the group’s lowest-ranked side on Monday, a result that has immediately put pressure on their campaign in Morocco.

Motlhalo, however, believes the squad must respond with composure rather than anxiety as they prepare for a crucial second group match against Ivory Coast at Moulay Rachid Stadium on Friday (19:00 SA time).

“Yes, it wasn’t the start that we wanted, but the biggest thing now is just to reflect on where we went wrong and take the positives out of that game and use them for the next game. There’s still more games to play, so we are not going to put ourselves under pressure,” Motlhalo said.

South Africa face in-form Ivory Coast next

Ivory Coast, who top Group B, began their campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory over Burkina Faso in Monday’s later kick-off at the same venue.

That result means Banyana now face group leaders who arrive in strong form and with a significantly better goal difference, while South Africa are still searching for their first points of the tournament.

Motlhalo accepts that Banyana will need a far stronger performance to keep their title defence on track.

“We know what we are capable of, and we will just do the work when we get to the field. As players, we understand that this is football, and sometimes things won’t go our way, so now we have to dig deep. This is a tournament … there’s still a long way to go,” she added.

The midfielder stressed that the squad remains focused on their own standards rather than the growing external expectations after their surprise opening result.

Tanzania spoil Motlhalo’s milestone occasion

The loss to Tanzania came on a personally significant day for Motlhalo, who earned her 100th cap for Banyana Banyana in Casablanca.

Defeat meant her milestone appearance ended in disappointment, although the 25-year-old insisted the landmark still carried great personal pride.

“I would say I celebrated my 100th cap, but I am always grateful to be representing my country. I feel honoured to be part of the elite group [of players who have amassed 100 caps],” she said.

The result underlined the scale of the upset. Tanzania are ranked 122nd in the world and 18th in Africa, while South Africa sit 57th in the FIFA rankings and second on the continent.

With two group matches remaining, Banyana must now recover quickly from that setback against the section’s underdogs as they attempt to navigate a way into the knockout stages. Motlhalo’s message, though, is clear: South Africa intend to fight back, but without being overwhelmed by pressure.