South Africa's Lebohang Ramalepe has urged her teammates to be stronger mentally and challenge themselves to raise their game in this week's FIFA Women's World Cup 'play-in' against Nigeria on Thursday.
Defeats for Banyana Banyana and the Super Falcons in their Women's Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals over the weekend denied both continental heavyweights the opportunity to qualify automatically for next year's World Cup in Brazil.
However, two of the four losing quarterfinalists can still advance to FIFA's Inter-confederation play-offs -- taking place later this year -- although Nigeria and South Africa must go through each other in order to progress.
Banyana defender Ramalepe has urged her teammates to demonstrate more mental resiliency than they showed against Morocco as they look to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
"What is required is mental toughness," she told ESPN. "As a team, we just need to ask ourselves: 'what is it that we want?'
"If we go into the next match with the mentality of 'all is lost'...no, we still have a chance, all is not lost.
"We just need to stay focused, be mentally sharp and take it as a final match."
Banyana started strongly against Morocco in their quarterfinal at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium on Saturday, but fell behind when Sakina Ouzraoui Diki's no-look volley beat Kaylin Swart just after the half-hour mark.
Hanane Aït El Haj struck from the penalty six minutes after half-time, as Banyana struggled to regain their rhythm, and while Thembi Kgatlana pulled one back in the 67th minute, South Africa were unable to find the equaliser to take the game to extra time.
"The moment we conceded the second goal, we lost hope and faith," Ramalepe conceded.
"Coming into the second half, we had to do our best, we had to push going forward, make sure we converted our chances, but we only managed to get just one.
"It's disappointing, really disappointing, but the play-offs are another chance, and we need to prove ourselves in the next match."
While Nigeria have never failed to reach the World Cup in the tournament's history, South Africa also have a proud recent record of reaching the competition, having been present in the last two editions.
After qualifying for the first time for the 2019 edition in France, Banyana then reached the Last 16 in Australia and New Zealand three years ago, holding Argentina and defeating Italy in the group stage before falling to the Netherlands in the second round.
They will meet the beleaguered Super Falcons at Casablanca's Moulay Rachid Stadium on Thursday, with Ivory Coast and Ghana colliding in the other 'play-in' match.