Paris 2024: South African berates NFF for unkempt MKO Stadium as Swart predicts a touch match in Pretoria

Banyana Banyana star, Thembi Kgatlana, has slammed the Nigerian Football Federation following their 1-0 defeat at MKO Abiola National Stadium last week.

The Super Falcons managed a 1-0 home win over the South Africans, who are aiming to add to their recent successes by qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The return leg comes up on Tuesday and South Africa would do everything to avoid conceding the first goal at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria to stand a chance.

Kgatlana believes the NFF failed to prepare the playing surface at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, adding that this hindered them when it came to keeping the ball on the ground in the first leg.

“The fact that they didn’t cut the grass and they know that we’re a team that moves the ball,” Kgatlana said to SABC News.

“That’s why I said in an earlier question that when we get home with better facilities, we know that the pitch will favour us, the same way the pitch favoured them.

“They are not a team that plays the ball, they are a team that wants to run behind and that’s exactly what they do.

“You drop the ball, it doesn’t bounce, it just lands on top so that’s what they want to do”.

Meanwhile, South Africa goalkeeper, Kaylin Swart, expects a tough battle with Nigeria in Pretoria.

 “I think the second leg is going to be tough, but I think the coaches know exactly what’s needed and us as players, we also will look at ourselves and hopefully we’ll come back with a better individual performance,” she told CAF Online.

“I think if we can start (the second leg) the way we finished the second half (in Abuja), I think there’s so much more to give but we’re not down yet. I still believe in my girls, I still think that we can turn it around at home and I just hope that the fans will come out and be behind us because I do think there’s so much more in the second leg and hopefully we can get the goals we need.”

Banyana Banyana are the defending champions of the Women’s African Cup of Nations after defeating host nation Morocco in the final of the last edition.

According to the Nigeria Football Federation, the Falcons’ delegation for Tuesday’s all-important match arrived in Pretoria on Monday morning and trained at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium at night.

The match will kick off at 6.30 pm Nigerian time.