The South African student women's football team will face off against North Korea in their first game of the Summer Universiade in Napoli, Italy tomorrow. 

It is not a foregone conclusion that Mapaseka Mpuru will be the goalkeeper. If she plays, it is guaranteed that the North Korean strikers will have their work cut out to get the ball past her into the net. 

The Tuks player has got something to prove after being part of the Banyana Banyana team that competed at the World Cup Tournament in France. Mpuru did not get to play one game, but that did not lessen her experience. The time she spent on the sidelines, watching some of the world's best in action motivated her. 

That is why she views qualifying for the playoffs at the World Student Games as a realistic goal.

"I honestly believe that we, as South Africans, can beat the best. We only got to believe in our abilities, improve our communication on the field and be tactically a bit more astute."

The 21-year old Mpuru knows all about the highs and lows of international football. In 2015 she was in Banyana Banyana squad from which the team for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio was selected. She expected to be one of the chosen ones. When it did not happen, she "cracked". Being so depressed that she quit school in her matric year. 

Fortunately, with the help of her brother, she regained her passion and confidence as a player. She even went back to school and passed her matric with three distinctions. Mpuru is now a second-year educational student at Tuks.

In hindsight, she views the time away from playing competitive football as a blessing. It gave her time to rediscover the reasons why she fell in love with the game when only five years old at first playing street football with the boys. 

It was her first coach "Mr Molekoa" at Masephe Primary School in Mahikeng who convinced to play goalkeeper. From her very first save, it has been a challenge she relishes. It reflects in the numerous accolades that have been bestowed on her over the years. 

Mpuru is grateful for the time she got to spend at the Safa Girls Soccer Academy Program based at Tuks. 

"It was where I learned what real discipline, teamwork, trust and leadership is all about."

The Tuks player views being a goalkeeper as an honour. It often entails being the last player standing between defeat and victory. 

"A good goalkeeper must be able to pre-empt what is going to happen and react within mere hundredths of a second. If you don't, it could be game over. You also got be tactically savvy as you are the one player that can see how the opposition's attack might play out. So you got to direct your teammates to counter in advance.  All of this exhilarating."

Mpuru's biggest goal is to earn her first cap for Banyana Banyana. She admits it's going to be tough as there are quite a few good goalkeepers in South Africa. She is up to the challenge.

"I genuinely believe I have what it takes to become one of the best ever goalkeepers. It is only a matter of biding my time and keep on doing the hard work."