The South Africans return for the fifth time in the event – they first played in 2009, though they did not take part in last year’s event which was won by France.
Banyana are in Group C with Mexico, Belgium and the Czech Republic, and will face Mexico in their opening match of the tournament tomorrow at the Tasos Marko Paralimni.
Team captain Janine van Wyk says preparations have gone well.
“We just had a three-month break following the 2014 CAF African Women’s Championship in Namibia. I really thought it was going to be hard for us to get back into it, but it’s gone really well. The girls are looking very sharp and we are looking forward to the upcoming tournament.”
Banyana have the All Africa Games and Olympics Games qualifiers coming up, and Van Wyk feels this tournament will play a major role in getting them ready for those.
“The reason we are here is to prepare for those upcoming games,” she adds. “We might think it is easy playing against the likes of Botswana or Kenya or other ‘low profile’ teams, but then again anything can happen when we go to play them.
“So we have to use this tournament to prepare thoroughly so we can get to Rio in 2016, which is the highest stage at this moment.
“But first we have to get to the All Africa Games, which will work wonders for the team in terms of further preparation and more experience as a group and individually and I believe this tournament will help us get there.”