WAFCON: Senegal looking good but South Africa have a plan – Motlhalo

South Africa women’s national team winger Linda Motlhalo has admitted they will not have it easy when they face Senegal in the quarterfinals of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, Morocco on Saturday.

South Africa finished top of Group C on seven points – two wins and a draw, while the West Africans scraped through as one of the third-best placed teams. The Lionesses of Teranga walloped DR Congo 4-0 in Group A but lost to both Morocco and Zambia.

Speaking ahead of the game, Motlhalo, who plays for Glasgow City, and who was part of the squad that faced Senegal last year, believes that they will need to be on top of their game to triumph against the West Africans.

“We have played against Senegal before, and they are a very good team. They are growing and so are other African teams – from when we played them to now, there is a huge difference. They also have players that have now signed for overseas teams, which says a lot about Senegal. I think they are looking really good, but we have a plan,” said Motlhalo.

The last meeting between South Africa and Senegal was in two friendly matches in June last year away in Dakar – one draw and a 2-0 victory for South Africa, thanks to goals from Amogelang Motau and Noxolo Cesane.

If South Africa qualify for the last four, they will face off against nine-time champions Nigeria, who hammered Zambia 5-0 in the other quarterfinals match on Friday.