The Future of Banyana’s Offense: Why Majiya May Be the Next Kgatlana

Banyana Banyana forward Nthabiseng Majiya reiterates her dedication to improving her skills as she faces comparisons with Thembi Kgatlana, following her impressive performances in the recent friendly matches against Algeria in Durban.

The buzz around Majiya is increasing, as she showcases her capability to spearhead the attack in a manner similar to Kgatlana.

With Kgatlana unable to join the Algeria friendlies due to preparations for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Majiya rose to the occasion and scored two goals across the two matches.

During the first friendly at Princess Magogo Stadium last Tuesday, she netted a fantastic winning goal from the edge of the penalty area. In the second match at King Zwelithini Stadium, Majiya capitalized on a defensive blunder, swiftly reacting when Algeria struggled to clear the ball, and sent it into the far corner.

A 2-0 victory was sealed in the final moments when Shakira O’Malley took advantage of a goalmouth scramble, scoring her first international goal while the Algerian defense was still disorganized.

“Thembi is outstanding—I won’t argue with that. She is among the elite players,” Majiya shared with Sportswire.

“However, my aim is to grow each day to better support my team [Mamelodi Sundowns] and the national squad.”

When Kgatlana suffered an ACL injury during the 2022 WAFCON triumph in Morocco—sustained in the final group-stage match against Botswana—Banyana coach Desiree Ellis provided Majiya an opportunity. Ellis, who has recently praised Majiya’s progress, was rewarded for her faith when the forward scored on her debut after entering the match in the 70th minute.

Despite Kgatlana’s absence, Banyana secured WAFCON glory for the first time, with Hildah Magaia scoring twice against host nation Morocco in the final.

This year’s WAFCON, originally scheduled for March to April, has been postponed to July and August. Banyana spent the entire month of February in camp in Polokwane, which means they will need to restart their preparations for the tournament.

Majiya acknowledged the setback but remained pragmatic.

“It was disheartening for us because we had trained effectively, and now we must begin anew,” she remarked.

Banyana Banyana will take on Japan in two friendly matches prior to the tournament in Morocco.