The takeaway from South Africa's two friendlies against Japan in Osaka - a 5-0 defeat followed by a 1-0 win - was that the gap between what this team is and what it could be, with better preparation, is vast.
South Africa's players arrived in Japan with limited recent minutes under their belt and in Saturday's 5-0 loss, that showed. Desiree Ellis' side rarely if ever truly threatened to score and were at sixes and sevens defensively. They were arguably fortunate that the scoreline was not even more comprehensive in favour of the 2011 world champions.
The contrast between that performance and the 1-0 win only three days later, after the players had time to shake some rust off in training and the first game, was stark.
In her 150th cap for Banyana Banyana, captain Refiloe Jane assisted fellow midfielder Linda Motlhalo for the winner. Ellis' side played much of the game on the back foot, but they defended with control. Bambanani Mbane in particular had a strong game, while goalkeeper Kaylin Swart played out of her skin.
It was an off day for Japan, who had many players coming off the back of a gruelling season and did not have much to play for.
Still, the gap in organisation between the Banyana that showed up on Tuesday and the one that had featured on Saturday was so vast that the only logical conclusion could be that Ellis' squad is being held back by the system in which most of them operate.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) is widely reported to be hamstrung by debt, and it indeed, it was a Banyana Banyana protest before the 2023 FIFA World Cup that brought more scrutiny to the association's spending and finances.
They would have done well to take note of the highs and lows of Banyana's tour to Japan, but it is not only they who have lessons to learn.
If more private investors followed in the footsteps of Mamelodi Sundowns and funded institutions which gave South African's women's footballers environments where they could make a sustainable living off the sport, then situations where clubs were out of competitive action for two months longer than expected would likely not occur even with a football association in dire straits.
There are green shoots of change on that front, with the prestigious Kaizer Chiefs having launched their women's team on March 31.
Until there is significant structural change in the women's game, however, generation after generation of talented Banyana Banyana players will continue to give fans moments of excitement without ever truly reaching their full potential.