Doctor Khumalo, who was part of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 1996 Bafana Bafana winning team has given Banyana advice on how they can get over the women's AFCON jinx as they are set to play in their sixth final.
Banyana will take on hosts Morocco in the final this evening (10:00 CAT) and Desiree Ellis' troops will be hoping to be sixth time lucky with Khumalo insisting the time is now for SA to clinch the title at the Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.
SA are film favourites to win their first ever Africa Women's Cup of Nations (WAFCON) but Khumalo believes the 12th player will make it hard for Banyana, who booked their spot in the final after beating Zambia.
"It cannot happen that we fail to lift this trophy. We simply can't fail now! After the journey we've travelled, after trying so hard and not being successful before, after all the failed attempts and us having gone this far, it just can't happen that we fail to lift this one. It would be so unfair for our team not to be crowned champions this time around," Khumalo said in his latest Soccer Laduma column.
"We've put everything into winning this trophy and you can see from the technical team, the starting line-up, the substitutions from the bench, and everyone in the team that there's only one thing in our minds and that's winning this trophy. You can see the hunger and commitment.
"May football gods be with you, guys, so that you bring this trophy home. I know how it feels to qualify for the final of the Cup of Nations, so I can relate to what's going on in that camp right now. We are only 90 minutes away from lifting the trophy and we are in a stage where nothing comes easy.
"Playing the host nation is never going to be easy as they have the backing of the 12th player, their passionate supporters, on top of them being a tough team."
Have a look at some of the Bafana coaches since 1992...
