U-20 Women’s World Cup (Q): Maud Khumalo plots Black Princesses’ downfall

South Africa’s U-20 women’s national team improved their chances of qualifying for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals after holding Ghana to a 2-2 draw last Sunday.

Basetsana fought back twice in the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium with the reverse fixture set for Saturday, February 14 at the Mbombela Stadium.

South Africa head coach Maud Khumalo says they will remain true to their game plan while addressing liabilities in a bid to qualify for the fourth and final round of qualifying.

“We will stick to our game plan from the first leg while also working on the shortcomings we identified. We have the right players – they are resilient and able to hold the game until the final whistle,” Khumalo told SABC.

“We are excited to play in front of our home supporters – that will definitely motivate the girls to perform at their best. Qualifying would mean so much for the country and for our national development structures. To be the first group to qualify for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup would be a massive achievement.”

The 47-year-old shared her thoughts on the first leg of the game at the Accra Sports Stadium.

“It was quite an interesting game overall. It really tested the character and mental capacity of our players. We are happy with some of the combinations, but there are others that still need attention,” she added.

SA U20 women’s national team coach Maud Khumalo says they will remain true to their game plan as they prepare for the second leg of the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier against Ghana on Saturday.

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The winner of the two legs progresses to the final round of qualifiers where they will face either Zambia or Uganda for a place at the next FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.