Johannesburg - The big picture that Noko Matlou has been putting together since making her Banyana Banyana debut a decade ago is close to completion. The veteran of four Africa Cup of Nations’ (Afcon) campaigns has two silver medals and a bronze from the continental showpiece, along with the 2008 African Footballer of the Year award and she played in two Olympics.
These accolades paint a glowing picture of the 31-year-old’s time as a Banyana player. But there are two pieces that are missing to complete the puzzle.
“If I can win the Afcon, then I will know that I have done it. If I play in the World Cup (after winning the Afcon) then everything would be settled,” Matlou said.
“I was hurt when we couldn’t qualify for the (2015) World Cup. We had prepared well. But we didn’t qualify (because we failed to finish in the top three in the 2014 Afcon in Namibia). It was tough to get over that but qualifying for the Olympics helped us. We now know that it’s our time.”
Banyana will leave for Cameroon on Monday in search of their maiden Afcon title. Interim coach Desiree Ellis was there as a player when the side finished as runners-up in 1995 and 2000 while Matlou was there when they took their bridesmaid tag to the extreme, finishing second on two more occasions in 2008 and 2012.
Ellis said now they want to be the bride having been the bridesmaid four times. To do that, they first have to go past the hosts Cameroon, Egypt and Zimbabwe in Group A.
Banyana played Cameroon twice last year, under coach Vera Pauw, winning one match and drawing the other. Last month they beat Egypt 3-1 in Dobsonville in Ellis’ first match in charge. On Thursday, in Harare, they take on Zimbabwe in a friendly match. Matlou is confident that this generation can finally become African champions, especially under Ellis.
“She allows us freedom which we need in the field because if you don’t have freedom then you won’t enjoy your football,” Matlou said.
“Everyone is free to play their normal football. I think that in our previous games (under Pauw) we were too defence-minded. If we put our skills to good use, we will do well. We have a number of creative players in the team. If we can play to our strength (unlike what we did before) we will score many goals. Things will change because if you have freedom to play your normal football, you enjoy yourself and the results will take care of themselves.”
Matlou’s experience and physical strength will come in handy in Cameroon. She will use those qualities as a defender, the position that Pauw converted her to.
Ellis sat down with Matlou after taking over to ask her if she wants to continue as a defender or return to being a striker, a position that saw her crowned the Queen of Africa in 2008.
“I did some introspection, looking at where I am at and where I want to be,” Matlou said. “I looked at my age. I can still offer a lot as a striker. “But I think that with my age, I now prefer to play at the back. I have settled in this position to a point that I now view myself as a defender.”
The Star