Latest news with #DesireeEllis'
Daily Maverick
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Banyana Banyana out to tame Senegal's Lionesses in crunch Wafcon quarterfinal clash
Reigning African champions Banyana Banyana are aiming to take a major step towards defending their title when they battle Senegal in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals. The contest is scheduled for Saturday, 19 July at 9pm. The last time Banyana Banyana lost a match at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) was when they were defeated 1-0 by Ghana during the bronze medal playoff of the 2016 edition. Since then, Desiree Ellis' team have been nearly impenetrable at the continental tournament. The South Africans also lost on penalties to Nigeria in the 2018 final, after the teams could not be separated during a nil-all draw. However, that match was technically recorded as a stalemate. To maintain their impressive Wafcon run, Banyana Banyana will need to navigate a tricky Senegalese side in their quarterfinal tussle. Stubborn Lionesses Despite qualifying for the last eight via the 'backdoor' as one of the two best third-placed teams, the Lionesses of Teranga will be another tough test for Ellis and her charges. They finished third in a group that was dominated by title hopefuls Zambia and Morocco, but the Senegalese were never embarrassed during the group phase. They went blow for blow with Zambia's Copper Queens, narrowly losing 3-2. They frustrated tournament hosts Morocco, with the latter nation needing a Yasmin Mrabet penalty to squeeze 1-0 past the stubborn Lionesses. It was against the Democratic Republic of Congo that Senegal's potential was on full display, as they fired on all cylinders to thrash the Congolese 4-0. They can definitely play, and Banyana Banyana will be wary heading into Saturday night's quarterfinal. 'They've shown in a very difficult group that they can fight it out with the best, and we have to be at our absolute best to get a result, because it's not going to be easy. No game has been easy at this Wafcon, it shows that teams on the continent are improving. Every Fifa international window there are countries playing,' said Ellis. 'This Wafcon is not just a one-sided tournament where you can predict an outcome. The games are so tight and it's one moment of magic or one moment of madness, then that's it. This shows how tight the games are, so we have to be on top of our game against Senegal. They showed [their quality] against Zambia and Morocco, where they had very tight games,' the Banyana Banyana coach added. Banyana are ready Senegal and Banyana Banyana are no strangers; the two teams tussled in June 2024, with South Africa registering a 3-1 aggregate victory during the double-header of international friendlies. A year later, the two nations meet under much more strenuous conditions, in a contest in which the winner will reach the Wafcon semifinals and the loser returns home. Victory for the Senegalese would mark their first passage beyond the Wafcon quarterfinals. Banyana Banyana, on the other hand, are aiming for a seventh overall Wafcon final. Taming the Lionesses would bring the 2022 African champions to within one victory of achieving this impressive feat. But their eyes are also on the overall prize. 'We've managed to watch a few clips, obviously they are in the tournament as well. But we've been doing a lot of video sessions to analyse them, so that we can have a gameplan… Then we just need to go out there, stick to the plan and do our best,' fullback Gabriela Salgado told Banyana Banyana's media department. 'We have our country expecting us to do well. But we also owe it to ourselves [to get another good result]; we've worked so hard to be where we are now. We want to defend the title, everyone is on the same page,' Salgado said. If it's not broken, don't fix it It has been a theme so far at this Wafcon for South Africa to fight it out with teams that are physically imposing. Defender Karabo Dhlamini believes there is no need for Banyana Banyana to alter their approach for the Senegalese. The team plans to continue playing its brand of South African soccer. This consists of keeping the ball on the ground and weaving quick passes that usually leave their opponents in a daze. 'Senegal is a good team. We know they have tall players, which is something we lack. But we have played against teams with taller players and dealt well with them, meaning we're ready to cope with that again against Senegal. At the end of the day, it will be 11 against 11 — same ball. To beat Senegal, we need to stick to our style of play,' Dhlamini was quoted as saying by SowetanLive. Dhlamini has been part of a stingy Banyana Banyana defence that has conceded just once in their three Wafcon outings to date — the 1-1 draw against Tanzania in their second group game. She, alongside the likes of Bambanani Mbane and right-back Fikile Magama, will be expected to thwart the Lionesses. Up front, the search for goals will rest primarily on the shoulders of Jermaine Seoposenwe, while Hildah Magaia and Linda Motlhalo are also capable of creating magic in attacking moments. Young striker Ronnel Donnelly scored her first senior goal during the 4-0 winner over Mali earlier this week, so she is another forward threat. DM
CAF
14-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
South Africa, Mali battle for Group C top spot
After navigating the twists and turns of Group C, the reigning African champions South Africa and West African dark horses Mali now find themselves on a collision course with the Group C top slot at stake at the ongoing TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 in Morocco. With four points each from a possible six, both teams will be looking for bragging rights and an opportunity to finish the group stage on a high note. Away from becoming table leaders, the result of this fixture will determine the quarterfinal matchups going forward. One game at a time If it is not broken, why fix it? For a team that has already won the WAFCON, the Banyana Banyana know a thing or two about how to excel at tournament football. It is a whole different ball game. Dr Desiree Ellis' outfit are right on cue, efficient in the final third and solid at the back. They have only conceded once – a diagonal header by Tanzania's Opa Clement. Mexico-based midfielder Amogelang Motau, who won the title with South Africa three years ago is in high spirits ahead of the tie against Mali and says, 'The mentality going into this tournament was to take it one game at a time. That is what won us the tournament in 2022. We came in as contenders and our goal is to finish top.' 'Off the field, we are a very solid team. We are going through a transition. We are making it look seamless, but it is not. There's going to be a lot of player rotation. There are new players coming into the team. There are good seniors who are guiding us.' Ellis, who sought rotation against Tanzania making four changes, affirms this and believes that her squad has the character of champions as they try to defend their title. 'No game is easy because they [Mali] know that they are in it as well. We know what we have to do that is very important to us. We want to rotate the ball quicker and be more efficient in the final third.' 'We are working on what we need to learn from the other games and how we need to help each other on the pitch. We want to stay true to who we are because the minute we put the ball on the ground; there will be some very good moments. Getting into the final third with those movements with that quick combination play and that is what we need to do.' Respectful but not scared Facing defending champions can sometimes force an opponent into early submission but not Mali. Les Aigles Dames have been building their confidence from the onset. They are meticulate in the way that they approach games and more importantly, they know how to win. Their opponents – Tanzania (1-0) and Ghana (1-1) will never forget Mali. Even when it looked like both sides were dominating play for the most part, before they knew it, Mali was walking down the tunnel with big smiles on their faces, content and with their chins up. It is the killer instint that is crucial in tournament football. Mali have mastered this. And at the heart of it all is head coach Mohamed Saloum whose evergreen tactics continue to inspire a young and spirited Malian side that is here to write history – slowly but surely. 'We know South Africa very well. They are compact. We think that in this competition as defending champions, they are a tough team to play. Each team has their own philosophy, and we shall rely on our quality. We shall respond accordingly. Did anyone think that Tanzania will draw with South Africa? This is football. We will bring all our leverage to make sure that it works on our side as we chase the first place,' Saloum says with confidence. The last time the two sides faced each other was at the 2018 edition when South Africa edged Mali 2-0 thanks to goals by Thembi Kgatlana and Lebohang Ramalepe. But Saloum believes that his side have since evolved. They have grown in stature and will approach this game with the maturity that it deserves. Yakare Niakaté, who features for Nice in France at club level, says with a composed smile, 'There are two teams in this fixture but for me, there is no favourite team. They [South Africa] are a good team that is competitive and that won the title but we as Mali are here to represent our country and show what we can do. We are here now. We know our quality. We shall do everything possible to gain positives from the game.' Playing in her first ever WAFCON, Niakaté admits that, 'It is a great pleasure to be in the biggest tournament of Africa. We played against Ghana – a big team in Africa, we faced Tanzania who are also coming up now and now, we are going to face the defending champions, this is exactly where I want to be. I want to express myself on the field of play and play against the best teams in Africa.' Mali's best performance was back in 2018 when they reached the semifinals and according to Saloum, they want to get to the podium – better their last result.
TimesLIVE
28-06-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Banyana on strike ahead of Wafcon in Morocco over unpaid wages
Banyana Banyana have gone on a strike from training in Morocco in their build-up to their kickoff to the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) on July 7 over alleged unpaid wages from the South African Football Association (Safa). This was confirmed to TimeLIVE by a source close to the team who did not want to be named on Saturday. In a shocking development for the defending champions, who lifted the trophy in the last tournament, also in Morocco, in 2022, coach Desiree Ellis' team has apparently not trained since Thursday after arriving in the North African country on Wednesday. This is yet another disastrous build-up to a major tournament for the women's national team, who play their first match of this year's Wafcon against Ghana at Honor Stadium in Oujda in nine days' time.
Eyewitness News
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Banyana Banyana gear up for Tri-Nations Series match against Zambia
JOHANNESBURG – Banyana Banyana to face Zambia on Tuesday for their final Tri-Nations Series, following a 3-2 win against Botswana. Kick-off for the match is set for 15:00 at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. The Tri-Nations Series is in preparation for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with Banyana Banyana getting off to a good start less than two months before the tournament scheduled for July 5-26. Desiree Ellis' team played to a five-goal thriller against Botswana, winning 3-2 last Wednesday, 28 May, at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. 'The Zambian team brings something different (compared to Botswana), their front three are really quick. Our defensive organisation has to be really good, and when we win the ball, we have to make sure that we hurt them. That's going to be really important,' said Ellis. The Copper Queens were held to a 1-1 draw by Botswana on Saturday and are looking to sharpen their tactical edge ahead of WAFCON. The tournament in Morocco was supposed to have been played last year, but was postponed to this year as it was clashing with the Olympic Games in Paris. Banyana have been fixtured in Group C against Ghana, Mali and Tanzania.
