Iceland and Leicester have shown the underdog the way‚ says Banyana captain

Iceland and Leicester City’s examples have been an inspiration to the underdog around the world‚ said Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk ahead of one of her team’s sternest tests they will face against USA in Chicago on Saturday.

The South African women’s national team could not have asked for stronger opposition than the world champions‚ and Brazil of women’s football‚ at Chicago’s famous 62‚000-seater Soldier Field at 7pm SA time.

Vera Pauw’s Banyana will get a true test of their state of preparedness for the Rio Olympics in August after months of training camps‚ and two defeats in international friendlies away against the Netherlands last month (1-0 and 2-0).

Van Wyk said Banyana have taken some notes from the shock English Premier League title won this past season by Leicester‚ and tiny Iceland’s remarkable run to the Euro 2016 quarterfinals last week – on how the underdog can match vaunted opposition through teamwork.

“That’s an example I wanted to give‚ about teams like Iceland and Leicester doing it against top quality teams‚” Banyana’s sturdy attacking right-back said.

“I think one critical characteristic that we have as a team is teamwork‚ and that takes you far in a competition too.

“We’re growing as a team. The 2012 Olympics was about going there to experience what international football is all about.

“We went there having only prepared for three months before the tournament. And it showed because we didn’t connect with each other‚ and so didn’t make it through the group stage.

“This time around we have had almost a year preparing together. We’re a close team who have been together for so long and have played matches constantly.

“We feel much more confident than in 2012‚ and this time around many of us know what to expect at that level.

“Now all these high profile friendlies we are playing are about getting us used to high pressure‚ to get us ready for Rio.”

From 196-cap goalkeeper Hope Solo – who will aim to keep her 100th international clean sheet against Banyana – to 2015 Fifa Player of the Year Carli Lloyd and pin-up striker Alex Morgan‚ South Africa will meet the superstars of women’s football at Soldier Field.

“Especially before the game‚ ahead of kick-off in the tunnel‚ when we see all these big names next to us who we have looked up to from when we’re young‚ it will dawn on us‚” Van Wyk said. “But we’ve also got to see ourselves as professionals. The game is 90 minutes – anything is possible.

“We should forget about their records and who they have in their team and give our best.

“We know what to expect of them. We’ve been watching their videos‚ learning their patterns‚ style of play and key players. And if we can get that right I think we can give USA a good match.

“Any sort of result would give us huge confidence ahead of going to Rio. But a good performance is most important. If we do that‚ it would be good enough for us.

“And even if we don’t get a good result we know we’ll come back stronger from the experience.”

Pauw has used her network of international connections to play a key role in arranging the games against Netherlands and USA.

“We really appreciate the coach’s hard work for us getting the match against USA. We’re going to make the most of it and grasp every opportunity we can get from it‚” Van Wyk said.

“The Netherlands gave us quality games. We had constant pressure on us. We’re also used to playing against African teams‚ where we tend to dominate them.

“Then we go into global football and we’re the underdogs‚ trying to adapt to the pressure that we constantly get – especially in our half.

“And trying to break through and create chances. And we did do that in the Netherlands – it was just that we didn’t put the ball in the back of the net.

“That’s something we’ve been working on in training – on creating and scoring those opportunities.”

Banyana grew in strength in their first Olympics in London four years ago‚ losing their first two games 4-1 against Sweden and 3-0 against Canada‚ before finishing with a 0-0 draw against Japan.

TMG Digital/TMG Sport