South Africa vs Madagascar: Preview

The 2023 HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship continues with some feisty clashes to savour today! Hosts, South Africa, were left licking their wounds after opening day defeat as Malawi dispatched their counterparts 4-3. That statement victory at the Lucas Moripe Stadium saw Malawi take control of Group A, prior to the second round of action. Here is a preview of the Banyana clash against Madagascar which is set to get underway at 12h00 at Dobsonville Stadium.

1/8 SOUTH AFRICA | DRAW 6/1 | MADAGASCAR 14/1 (Odds provided by Hollywoodbets)

Following a difficult loss, the South African women’s national football team will need to regroup and get back on track. The next match against Madagascar will be crucial if South Africa wants to progress to the knockout stages of the tournament. Teams often need to draw on past successes, work on weaknesses, and work as a unit to get the best out of their opponents.

The fact that South Africa are (heavy) favourites against Madagascar shows that the team has the talent and the ability to win. However, anything can happen in sports, so Desiree Ellis’s ladies should never underestimate their opponents. The team will need to maintain a positive attitude, focus on strengths, and show their quality and dominance on the field just as they recently shown in the World Cup and when they became African champions to get the much-needed three points.

Heading into this year’s Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Championship, South Africa are currently ranked number 45 in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, the second best in Africa after Nigeria at 32, with Zambia being the next highest at 69. South Africa have triumphed in seven of the last 10 women’s COSAFA Women’s Championships, with Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Zambia being the other winners.

Madagascar fell to Eswatini 2-1 in their tournament opener and will also look to put that defeat behind them and use this game to get back to their winning ways. After a scoreless first half, Madagascar took the lead two minutes into the second half with a goal from Rina Rahamaraimalala. Eswatini responded immediately by scoring a goal of their own, which was headed in by Tenanile Ngamphalala, with Patience Magagula on the stroke of the hour netting the winning goal. It was an impressive attacking display by Madagascar, with insightful off-ball movement and progressive spells of possession exploiting the opponent’s defensive weak points. This one is sure to be a nail biter!

To witness the action live, fans can come to the stadium early and collect their free tickets (limited to four per person) and the games will also be broadcasted on SuperSport channels including their DSTV Stream platform. The games can also be streamed live via FIFA+ and on SABC Sport’s DTT Channel 4.