Botswana looking to book women’s Afcon ticket
Botswana aiming for women’s Afcon ticket
JOHANNESBURG, May 13 (ANA) – According to Botswana women’s football coach Gaolethoo Nkutlwisang, her charges have set their sights on qualifying for the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (Awcon) despite a tough path waiting for the team in the qualifiers.
The Awcon draw was held on Monday at the Confederation of African Football (Caf) headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
Botswana were drawn to face Angola in the first round of qualifiers.
Nkutlwisang said: “It’s a tough draw and we have started our preparations with a friendly and prolonged camp.
“Our teams are not active thus we have given our players programs and training schedules to push their fitness levels. We have to start immediately, and our technical team is advancing its preparations.”
Nkutlwisang did not mince her words, in saying: “I’m living this dream like any other Motswana who wants to qualify to the Awcon. We will work very hard to achieve this dream and qualify for Awcon.
Four matches stand between Botswana and the lucrative Awcon qualification berth.
“If we made this dream come true then it will be a big achievement for our country Botswana and it will help local football to advance up the world rankings.
“I’m confident of our chances and the spirit of the players, who played well against South Africa’s Banyana Banyana despite the 2-0 friendly loss at the Wits Stadium in Johannesburg last month.
“We had many chances in that game and this will give us a good motivation and the players know their responsibilities well.”
The winner of the first round of the two-legged clash in June will then play in the second round in October, against the winner of Zimbabwe and eSwatini to reach the finals in Morocco next year.
“We have seen them in action against Namibia recently, they are well-built, but they also have their weaknesses. My players know what is at stake. The girls will play the game of their lifetime.” – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman
