Looking ahead to the final round of Paris 2024 Olympics qualifiers against Nigeria, South Africa’s Kaylin Swart, the goalkeeper, exudes confidence in the team’s advantage of playing the first leg in Nigeria.
Swart believes that beginning with the away leg first could be beneficial as it helps to ease the pressure and offers a chance to boost confidence.
The initial fixture is set to happen at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on April 1, with the return leg in South Africa following eight days later.
Despite the challenges posed by Nigeria’s avid home crowd, Swart perceives it as a source of motivation rather than intimidation.
“Starting with an away game gives us an upper hand against Nigeria,” Swart explained. “In the previous qualifiers against DR Congo and Tanzania, it was a tough journey, but we successfully netted a few goals on away ground, returning home with boosted confidence. Playing the first match away helps in easing the pressure,” she stated, as reported by Sowetan Live.