Banyana Banyana forward Thembi Kgatlana believes they will have a better opportunity at turning their Olympic qualification chances around when they face Nigeria back home.
Kgatlana says the “bad pitch” of the MKO Abiola Stadium was a game strategy from Nigeria to prevent them from playing the ball.
She said “you pass the ball and it doesn’t bounce, it just drops there.”
She says they will play well in South Africa where they have “better facilities.”
“They didn’t cut the grass because they know that we’re a team that moves the ball, so that’s why when we get home, there’s better facilities and we know that the pitch will favour us.
“They’re not a team that plays the ball, they’re a team that wants to run behind, and that’s exactly what their pitch allows – you drop the ball, it doesn’t bounce, it just lands on top, and that worked for them.”
The Nigeria Super Falcons is holding 1-0 advantage after their CAF Olympic Qualifier first-leg tie in Abuja, thanks to a first-half Rasheedat Ajibade penalty
The two African giants will lock horns for the second leg on 9 April 2024 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria where coach Desiree Ellis’ charges will be hoping to overturn the deficit. And coach Ellis believes they are still in the game and can turn things around in the second leg on Tuesday.
