South Africa 捜し出す redemption in World Cup after woeful build-up
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South Africa make their Women's World Cup debut on Saturday against Spain in the French port city of Le Havre having failed to 勝利，勝つ in 10 matches since qualifying last November.
Banyana Banyana (The Girls) 敗北・負かすd Mali 2-0 in an African 選手権 半分-final seven months ago through goals from 星／主役にする striker Thembi Kgatlana and Lebogang Ramalepe.
But after 安全な・保証するing a World Cup place for the first time, the team has drawn four matches and lost six while 得点する／非難する／２０ing only eight goals and 譲歩するing a worrying 24.
The most 最近の loss, a 7-2 hiding from fellow finalists Norway in Amiens last Sunday, was the heaviest with a 長引かせるd pre-match bus 旅行 partly 非難するd for the embarrassing result.
"Our 運動 to the stadium lasted almost four hours instead of the planned 90 minutes," coach and former Banyana midfielder 願望（する） Ellis told AFP.
"The pre-match 準備s were 急ぐd and poor defending left us 追跡するing by five goals at half-time before a 相当な second-half 改良 enabled us to 得点する／非難する／２０ twice."
Ellis 認める a 類似の 不振の start against Spain -- 36 places higher than South Africa in the world 最高位のs -- will （一定の）期間 災害 at the 25,000-capacity Stade Oceane.
"We have to concentrate from the kick-off, 削減（する） out loose defending and work harder for each other b ecause many of our losses have come from 譲歩するing goals in the 開始 30 minutes."
Germany (階級d second in the world), Spain (13) and 中国 (16) are 推定する／予想するd to fight for two or three places in the second 一連の会議、交渉／完成する with South Africa the （疑いを）晴らす 部外者s in Group B.
However, Ellis 辞退するs to 受託する her squad are lambs 直面するing the 虐殺（する） in a 競争 where African teams have 伝統的に struggled.
"It certainly is not going to be 平易な for us and the first match against Spain is 決定的な. They are used to playing at a higher level than us.
"Spain like to play the ball around and so do we, so the team that craves victory the most is likely to 勝利，勝つ the match.
- 'Never give up' -
"I can 保証する South Africans that my players will never give up. While our build-up results have been disappointing, the wonderful spirit in the （軍の）野営地，陣営 has never wavered."
統治するing African Women's Footballer of the Year Kgatlana, who plays in 中国 after her 契約 with an American team 満了する／死ぬd, remains 上昇傾向 にもかかわらず the 10-game winless run.
"Losing makes us conscious of our shortcomings and 運動s us to 改善する 反して a successful build-up might have hoodwinked us into believing we were world-beaters.
"We played some of the best teams in the world, 含むing the Americans, Norwegians, Dutch and Swedes, in warm-up matches and have learnt a lot.
"Good 準備s are more important than results when gearing up for the World Cup and you will see a very different South African team against Spain," Kgatlana 予報するd.
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Netherlands-born Vera Pauw, a former coach of Banyana, believes the debutants can 原因（となる） surprises in フラン during the June 7-July 7 women's football showcase.
"Germany will be a 抱擁する 障害物, but they can 敗北・負かす Spain and 中国. I do not 想像する them 戦う／戦いing to 対処する with the challenges of the group.
"It is wonderful to see South Africa at the World Cup for the first time, and 資格 has come as a result of long-称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 planning by the 国家の football 協会."
Banyana will be captained by 退役軍人 centre-支援する Janine 先頭 Wyk, who is thrilled by the マスコミ attention the team is finally receiving.
"For us to be the lead story on the 支援する pages of some Johannesburg newspapers this week is fantastic," she said.
"存在 the no-hopers in the group can work to our advantage. The 圧力 is off us to some extent and on our 対抗者s," said the defender capped more than 150 times by her country.
African 支持する／優勝者s Nigeria and Cameroon are the other African 競争相手s in the 24-team field with the 部隊d 明言する／公表するs 捜し出すing a 記録，記録的な／記録する-延長するing fourth 肩書を与える.
