By The Numbers: Banyana’s World Cup Odyssey

Banyana Banyana’s World Cup journey came to a painful end against the Netherlands on Sunday morning, as they fell 2-0 to the 2019 World Cup finalists. A wicked combination of an early goal (again), key injuries, and an error from the keeper was their undoing. All three happening in a tournament would be part of the game; all three in the same game can be seen as genuine misfortune. Take any of these three away, and the result could have been different, and the Dutch would have struggled to contain the threat. For one last time, we dig through some numbers, starting with some shooting numbers to remind us of the threat.

13 – shots for Banyana v Netherlands, their joint-most in a World Cup game 

7 – shots on target for Banyana v Netherlands (the most they have had in a World Cup game)

5 – shots on target faced by the Netherlands in three group games

5 – shots on target faced by the Netherlands from Thembi Kgatlana alone

Looking at the shot count alone without considering the momentum of the game put things out of context. Above, we can see how the Netherlands made the most of the period of games when they were more threatening – in the 1st 30 minutes, then in the final 30. Banyana meanwhile, could not take advantage of their dominance just after half-time, and a goal at that time could have changed the look of the game. They did this (taking advantage of momentum) well in all their three group games, but failed to do so here.

A massive improvement from 2019

We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating again. Banyana were merely debutants at the 2019 World Cup. They lost every single game, but the three losses from that tournament provided the crucial experience they needed to perform better four years later. Not only that, the players are four years older and have also gained critical individual experience in between. Praising this team should not be limited to just the 4 games from this edition. Instead, focusing on the growth over the last four years may put a better perspective on their achievements.

Looking onto 2027

While the team did not make the Last 8, some of the players have been the best across the tournament in some key metrics. Thembi Kgatlana has been brilliant and has received wide coverage, but there is a team behind her ensuring she gets the freedom to run at defenders and lead Banyana’s line. With just five of the squad above the age of 30 and an average age of 27, many of the players will still be available in four years. Desiree Ellis’s side was learning to crawl at the 2019 World Cup, but in 2023, have shown that they can walk. The lessons from here will be a window into how fast and far they can run, should they qualify in 2027. The challenges will be different, but you can be certain, they will be ready.