Maud Khumalo confident Basetsana will stay the course ahead of Ghana clash

Basetsana battled to a hard-fought 2-2 draw in the first leg at the Accra Sports Stadium this past weekend, putting themselves in a strong position ahead of the decisive return leg on home soil.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Khumalo expressed satisfaction with her team’s resilience and fighting spirit, emphasising their ability to compete until the final whistle.

“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,” said Khumalo.

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Reflecting on the overall performance in Accra, the 47-year-old mentor described the encounter as a true test of character and mental strength for her young squad.

“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.

With the second leg set to take place at the Mbombela Stadium, Khumalo highlighted the significance of playing in front of a home crowd and what qualification would mean for the country.

“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,” she concluded.