Jane urges focus as Banyana Banyana chase WAFCON qualification

As Banyana Banyana prepare for their pivotal second-leg clash against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the 2026 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifying round, captain Refiloe Jane has stressed the importance of unwavering focus despite their away-goal advantage.

The South African national women’s team, fresh from a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Kinshasa last week, will face the DRC on Tuesday at Dobsonville Stadium, with everything to play for.

“One thing we are pleased about is that we didn’t lose the match, and we also managed to get an away goal, so that kind of puts us at an advantage — but we know in football anything can happen,” Jane said.

“We still need to stay focused; we still need to push and try to get a good result and hopefully qualify for the WAFCON. The only approach is to win the game; there’s no other way.”

Returning to familiar surroundings, Jane and her teammates are keen to harness the support of local fans to steer them towards victory.

“We’re hoping to use the home-ground advantage and that the supporters can come in numbers to boost the morale of the players. At the end of the day, we are looking to get a positive result and advance to the WAFCON.”

Jane, who honed her skills with AC Milan and US Sassuolo Calcio, reminded fans that this tournament serves as a gateway to competing in the prestigious Brazil 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“We know the importance of the upcoming WAFCON — it’s a World Cup qualifying tournament. We know how much we fought as a team against all odds and have always pulled through, so even this time we want to do that,” she added, underlining the intensity of the challenge ahead.

Adding to the excitement is the return of the Mexico-based quartet of Sinoxolo Cesane, Hilda Magaia, Amogelang Motau and Thembi Kgatlana, all of whom were absent during the first leg. Jane expressed her joy and anticipation for their contributions.

“Yes, we’re very excited and happy that the overseas-based players will be with us. We know the qualities they bring into the team, so we’re hoping to work together with them to get positive results,” she remarked.

However, the Banyana Banyana players are under no illusions about their opponents. Jane characterised the DRC as “very physical, very fast and mentally strong”, noting that South Africa must tackle the challenge head-on. “This is a do or die for us — either we win it or we go home,” she emphasised.

Should the aggregate score end in a tie, the away-goals rule will apply and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out will determine the victor, with no extra time under CAF rules.