Having spent three years playing in Sweden with Djurgardens, Banana Banana star Linda Mutlhalo is optimistic her knowledge of the European country will help SA when the two teams meet in the World Cup Group G opener on July 23.
“Having played in Sweden, I know the [national] players I also played with some And against some. “I have inside information that I will give to the team before we play them,” Mutlhalo said.
Banyana left South African shores in two waves, on Wednesday and Thursday last week. The team coached by Desiree Ellis is based in Wellington, New Zealand, for the World Cup that Australia will host from July 20 to August 20.
Sweden is ranked third in the world after the United States and Germany, according to the FIFA rankings for women’s football. last Other opponents in Group G are Italy and Argentina.
Divorce is hope she He remained injury-free at the World Championships this year after suffering an injury against Spain in Baniana’s opening match at the last World Cup in France in 2019, highlighting the team’s ambition to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.
“My personal goal is not to get injured in the World Cup because I was injured in the first match of 2019 [that Banyana lost 3-1 to Spain]. As a team, the goal is to qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament,” Mutlhalo said.
Star Baniana, who is now promoting it in Scotland for the city of Glasgow, also confirmed that entering the World Cup on the back of winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title last year had lifted her spirits, to praise Camaraderie at camp, too.
“Entering the World Cup as African champions is a confidence boost. However, we don’t think much of it because winning LOFCON is now in the past… Focusing on what we can do in the World Cup,” Mutlhalo said.
“We definitely come into the World Cup more prepared and confident because this isn’t our first game. We know what to expect. from from U.S. The bond we have here [in camp] amazing. We’re more than just teammates…we’re more like family, so that’s amazing.”