Banyana Banyana striker Noko Matlou says Olympic qualification is her target
Noko is only focussed on Olympics
Posted: 2011-09-06 15:28
Banyana Banyana super striker Noko Matlou is internationally renowned for her speed and skill, but victory over Ethiopia in the Olympic Qualifier on Sunday, is more important to her than statistics.
Matlou has achieved a record 51 goals in 60 appearances for Banyana Banyana and is expected to be well-marked after her hat-trick during the South African's 3-0 victory over the Ethiopians in the first leg.
Nicknamed ‘Beep Beep' because of her speed, the 25-year-old Limpopo-born goal-getter is now based in Gauteng pursuing her studies in transport management at the University of Johannesburg.
"Banyana is just 90 minutes away from securing a place at the 2012 London Olympics," said Matlou.
"It's difficult to sleep at night knowing we are this close to taking Banyana to their first appearance at the Olympic Games. We felt that we let SA down by finishing third at the CAF African Women Championship 2010 held in Ekurhuleni in Gauteng last November.
"The top two teams at this tournament represented Africa at this year's FIFA Women's World Cup held in Germany and it was difficult to sit at home watching the matches knowing that Banyana should have been there.
"Believe me, the statistics of goals I have scored for Banyana Banyana is furthest from my mind," she adds.
"Getting to the Olympic Games is all the Banyana players are focused on, and our team sponsor Sasol and Safa must be thanked for allowing us to partake in more team camps and matches than in previous years. Banyana have won 12 of the 14 matches played in 2011 and the mood in the camp is superb.
"Ethiopia will have to attack from the first whistle and throw players forward in search of goals. This is good news for our strikers as it opens space in other areas of the park for us."
Upfront, she is set to link up with her new University of Johannesburg FC club-mate, and national team captain Amanda ‘Toki' Dlamini and Janine ‘Booth' van Wyk back from suspension to partner ever-improving teenage star Amanda Sister in the heart of the visitor's defence, the Ethiopians should be in for a tough 90 minutes.
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