Bayana Star and tournament top scorer Thembi Kgatlana believes Nigeria is under pressure to retain the title they won in Cameroon two years ago.
The two teams will slug it out in the tournament for the second timeat the Accra Sports Stadium, after they clash in Cape Coast foropening game which was won by the Bayana Bayana..
“I don’t think we have much expectations. We’ve got nothing to lose,” Kgatlana, who netted the goal that handed the South Africans victory in the first meeting.
“We definitely worked hard to get to the final. It’s going to be a tough one against Nigeria.
“We played them in the first group match of the tournament. The final is going to be a different ball game.
“They’ll want to play for their pride because they wouldn’t want South Africa to beat them twice. But it’s the final and it’s for anyone. It’s there for the taking.”
The Dash Ace striker rejected the claim that her side are under pressure to repeat their group stage dominance over the Nigerians, but admits they have absolutely nothing to lose.
“I don’t think we’re under any pressure to win. Nigeria are the ones under pressure because they need to defend their title,” she said.
“We’ve accomplished what we came to accomplish which is to qualify for the World Cup. Getting to the final is good for us, especially for our confidence. And we’re looking forward to that.
“Scared is not the word I’ll use [to describe our state]. We’re not scared of them because we showed that football is beyond Nigeria and we’re able to beat Nigeria when we have a good team.
“I don’t think we’re going there with the aim of beating them. Our aim is to play for the pride of the nation.”
Kgatlana is the leading goalscorer at the tournamentteam, having find the back of net on five occasions enroute to the final.
“I’m not surprised about my performance,” the 22-year-old revealed.
“I’m just overwhelmed to see how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown. It’s something that the team needed and I was there to score the goals.
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