South African national women’s football team Banyana Banyana is facing hard times at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) as a few players have now tested positive for Covid-19.
This after the team’s star foward Thembi Kgatlana sustained a career-limiting fracture to her left leg during the game against Botswana in Morocco on Sunday.
On Tuesday, the team’s doctor, Rodney Mokoka, revealed that the virus started with one of the members in their technical team, at the camp in Rabat, Morocco for the ongoing .
“We had one official who tested positive before the Burundi game in the group stages of the tournament. The official was isolated and treated as she was symptomatic. And 48 hours prior to the Botswana game, we had one player who tested positive for Covid-19, and she was symptomatic.
“She was put in quarantine and treated accordingly. Her asymptomatic roommate who tested negative is in isolation, hence they both missed the Botswana game,” said Mokoka.
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has maintained a positive outlook ahead of another round of Covid-19 tests that will be conducted before the match on Thursday.
Banyana will be playing in the quarter-final match against Tunisia and a win against the North Africans will ensure that coach Ellis charges are one of the four continental sides to qualify for the 2023 World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
The 2022 WAFCON took centre stage for the first time in four years since the previous edition was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak that wreaked havoc with the international sporting events.
Also read: Fracture rules Thembi Kgatlana out of WAFCON tournament
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