Lwelani indawo yenu, Banyana Banyana!

Ngomhla wamashumi amabini kule nyanga yeKhala, itumente yehlabathi yamanenekazi adlala ibhola ekhatywayo [2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup] iza kuqala ngokusesikweni. Onke amazwe aza kuthatha inxaxheba sele efikile eNew Zealand nase’Australia – amazwe amabini aza kusingatha imidlalo yalo nyaka ngokubambisana. Amazwe aphambili kwibhola yamanenekazi afana neNgilane, iMelika, iSweden neFrance abonwa njengawona anamathuba amaninzi okuphumelela indebe ngomhla wokugqibela wetumente yehlabathi kwinyanga ezayo. Kodwa nakubeni kunjalo, uDesiree Ellis neentombi zakhe bazimisele ukothusa abantu abaninzi ebholeni ekhatywayo ngokubetha amazwe ayingozi nahlonitshwayo badlulele kumjikelo olandelayo. Leyo yeyona nto enkulu engenziwa nguMzantsi Afrika.

UDesiree Ellis ukhokela aBanyana Banyana ababuyela kwitumente yehlabathi okwesibini – kodwa kweli ityeli, bafuna ukwenza umsebenzi obhetele. Njengeentshatsheli ze’Afrika, kunyanzelekile ukuba uMzantsi Afrika ulwele indawo nesidima sawo ebholeni ekhatywayo yehlabathi. Nokuba udibana neliphi ilizwe, kufuneka udlalele ukuphumelela njengoko wenzile kwiWafcon kunyaka ophelileyo. Nangona uGroup G, onamazwe aquka iSweden, Italy ne’Argentina, ebonakala ngathi ulushica kuMzantsi Afrika osedyongo kwibhola yehlabathi – kodwa umqeqeshi waBanyana Banyana ufuna iqela lakhe lenze ngcono kunaseFrance ngo2019 apho babuya bebethwe kuyo yonke imidlalo.

‘Siya kwitumente yehlabathi okwesibini neqela elinabadlali abanamava nabasakhulayo sizimisele ukulwa emaqeleni anzima esithelekiswe nawo,’ utshilo uEllis kutshanje. ‘Akukho nalinye iqela eliza kudlala noMzantsi Afrika eliza kuyikhohlwa indlela esidlala ngayo. Wonke umdlali waBanyana Banyana ufuna ukudlala namaqela amakhulu ehlabathini. Eli lithuba lethu lokuzicacisa. Siza kuya emdlalweni ngamnye sizilungielele ngokupheleleyo. Sifuna ukuyonwabela ibhola kwinqanaba eliphezulu. UMzantsi Afrika sifuna uvakale ukuba ukhona futhi sifuna ukumela ngokukhulu ukuzingca. Sifuna ukwenza izinto ezinkulu kwiFIFA World Cup,’ utshilo uEllis. ABanyana Banyana baza kudibana neSweden emdlalweni wokuqala ngeCawe umhla wamashumi amabini anesithathu kule nyanga.