African Games Brazzaville 2015: Lots Eliminates Banyana Banyana
Drawing of lots – means – teams that are tied(3 or more) will have the country names placed in a bowl and randomly picked. The winner would be the one who name was picked. It could also mean it could be a coin toss – typically it happens when there are 2 teams in a tie.
South African womens national team participation was put to an end from the African Games Brazzaville 2015 after their Group B was decided by the drawing of lots in Congo on Monday morning (14 September).
Both Banyana Banyana and Ghana finished equal on points and goals scored, conceded and difference and as per CAF rule, the toss of the coin was to decide who among the two who would proceed to the semifinals.
South Africa lost the toss and Ghana progressed to play in the semi-final stage of the tournament while Banyana Banyana is heading home.
Vera Pauw’s team drew 1-1 with Cameroon in the opening match and 0-0 with Ghana while Cameroon and Ghana also ended with a draw at 1-1; meaning Cameroon led the 3-team log standing on superior goal scored while Banyana Banyana and Ghana ended deadlocked on the same number of points and goals.
Banyana Banyana mentor Vera Pauw said while she was let down by the drawing of lots she had accepted the outcome as this was part of the rules.
“Well, I don’t really have much to say except that I am very disappointed at the way we were knocked out but then again rules are rules. I still think things went wrong for us when we had a penalty awarded against us late in the first match.
“We then had to play Ghana who hadn’t played a match and were still fresh. I guess we were just unlucky because the toss could have gone either way,” added Pauw.
“We really needed to play more matches as part of preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympic qualifier against Equatorial Guinea later this month. We will re-group and re-strategise to ensure we are more than ready when we play that match. But it is a bit disappointing for the girls to lose this way.”concluded Vera Pauw.
