Magaia wants to be Banyana’s breadwinner against England
Hildah Magaia is back in the Banyana Banyana fold, and she’s ready to embody her nickname, ‘The Breadwinner’, when they face England tonight at 9.45pm. Banyana will visit the reigning European champions in an international friendly in Coventry on the back of losing 5-0 to Denmark last Friday.
Coach Desiree Ellis’ troops were put to the sword by the Danes after the relatively inexperienced side put their feet off the gas in the second half, conceding all five goals. As Banyana gears up for what promises to be a formidable challenge against England, Ellis will take comfort in the availability of four international players for the clash.
US-based duo Magaia and Linda Motlhalo arrived in the UK on Saturday, and they were joined by Mexico-based pair Thembi Kgatlana and Sinoxolo Cesane. Having struggled to find the back of the net against Denmark, the quartet is expected to make a significant difference against England, but all eyes will be on Magaia.
The 29-year-old has proven to be the nation’s breadwinner on tough occasions. She scored the brace that guided the team to the Wafcon crown in Morocco two years ago. Additionally, she scored one goal and provided an assist as Banyana triumphed over Italy in the final match of the World Cup group stage last year, marking their qualification for the last 16 for the first time in history.
“We did well in the first half (against Denmark), but we lapsed in concentration in the second half,” Magaia recalled.
“So, what I can bring is just me – I am 'The Breadwinner' obviously. It feels great to be back with the team. Obviously, it has been a long time since we were last together – so it feels great. I can’t wait to get in with the team and have fun.”
Magaia is returning to Banyana for the first time since April, having missed the back-to-back friendlies against Senegal in June due to medical reasons. While she’s excited to rejoin the set-up, she is also delighted to arrive in camp alongside the experienced trio of Kgatlana, Motlhalo, and Cesane.
“We are willing to bring the experience that’s required as we are playing abroad – just to help the team get where we want,” Magaia said.
“We also want to bring positive vibes. It will be a highly competitive and intense match. Both teams are physical. It will also be challenging physically because we will have duels and some things on the field. Overall, it will be a high-intensity match and it will require total focus from the first minute and until the 90th minute.”
MD-2 training session underway in Coventry as we prepare for our Champs vs Champs clash
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Magaia added that while they may be underdogs on paper, the team is still expected to rise to the occasion following their Wafcon and World Cup outings.
“As a team, we are always up for a challenge and to face anything that comes our way,” she explained.
“So, even with this one, we are still going to keep our heads up and continue doing what we do best and let God do the rest. It’s a test for us and we are willing to take it.”
Banyana is putting themselves to the test against some of the best-ranked nations in the world, aiming for thorough preparation ahead of their Wafcon defence set to take place in Morocco in July. The South Africans need to deliver a commendable performance in North Africa to make up for lost ground after missing out on the Paris Olympic Games this winter.
“It is essential to test ourselves so that we can see where we are and where we can improve,” Magaia said. “So, it is a good test for one, one that will really help us prepare for Wafcon and to be able to do what we can do as a team going forward.”