2016 Olympic Qualifier
Result: Banyana Banyana 1-0 Kenya
Date: 18 July 2015
Venue: Dobsonville Stadium
Banyana Banyana secured a 1-0 win over Kenya in the first leg of their 2016 Olympic Qualifier at the Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The opening half an hour proved to be a cagey affair, as both sides struggled to create openings.
Banyana should have went ahead in the 30th minute when Thembi Kgatlane broke through on goal , however the winger was thwarted by a fine save by Paulino Awino.
Nody Okotr was proved to be a handful for the Banyana defence on numerous occasions in the opening half, although she failed to trouble Andilo Dlamini in between the sticks.
The hosts continued to search for an opener as the first half went on but they squandered another chance in the 40th minute, as Sannah Mollo placed her effort wide of the mark with only the goalkeeper to beat.
After 25 minutes of struggling to pick the right pass in the final third, Banyana broke the deadlock in the 75th minute as Lebogang Ramalepe's cross-cum-shot evaded the Kenyan goalkeeper from 35-yards out.
The lead was nearly doubled two minutes later but Kenyan shot-stopper redeemed herself by keeping out Kgatlane's glancing header.
Janine Van Wyk almost doubled the home side's lead in the 86th minute but the skipper's volley from 20-yards out sailed just over the crossbar.
Vera Pauw's side managed to see out the rest of the game and and hold on for the narrow win.
The second leg will be played on Sunday, 2 August at Machakos Stadium in Nairobi.
Here's how they started:
Banyana XI: Dlamini, Ramalepe, Vilakazi, Matlou, Van Wyk, Kgatlande, Nyadeni, Dlamini, Ngubane, Mollo, Nogwanya
Kenya XI: Awino, Bwire, Ogutu, Wanjiku, Achieng, Onyango, Okotr, Salano, Akida, Omondi, Nixon
