South Africa stormed into the semifinal of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after edging Tunisia 1-0 on Thursday night.
The victory also guaranteed them another dance at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup. It also meant Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has for the second time in a row qualified the team for the world showpiece.
Here are four things she said after that hard fought victory against the North Africans.
The pressure is off
Ellis believes with World Cup qualification sorted, the pressure is off. “They felt the pressure, we made some elementary mistakes. We had so many chances that we could have just rolled in and we didn’t take them,” she told the media.
“Now that we have qualified, the players will have no pressure because you know when you lose here, you have to go to the other route and you do not want to go to that route. Ultimately, we are now going to the World Cup. That pressure is now off their shoulders and now they can prepare for the next game.”
It wasn’t a good performance
She also admitted that despite winning and progressing to the semifinal, it wasn’t a good performance. “I thought we started very well but then we stopped playing. We kept creating chances and as the game went on, the players felt pressure and we tried to calm them down. We made some elementary mistakes.
“We had so many chances that we could have just knocked in and we didn’t do that. They were so clear cut but at the end of the day, we showed a lot of character. But hey, we are going to the World Cup,” a visibly elated Ellis said.
Need to work on finishing
Banyana had 10 shots, with only two on target. The Cape Town-born coach said they would work on their finishing ahead of the semifinal. “We’ll keep working it also comes with a lot of confidence. We can work on our finishing and hope it comes in the next game.”
She will be hoping for better precision when they play fellow southern Africans in the semifinal on Monday.
Doing it for Thembi
Banyana taliswoman Thembi Kgatlana was ruled out after sustaining an injury during the last group match against Botswana. Ellis said while the players were dejected by her absence on the pitch, they made a decision that they would do it for her. “They said let’s do it for her then,” she said.
The 59-year-old mentor also dedicated the win to “everyone back home”. “The squad we selected was versatile. Each one fights for one another. The technical staff is fantastic. Credit must go to all of them. This victory is for everyone back home.”
“The situation back home is not good. There is a lot of loadshedding and some of them might not have seen the game so this victory is for 53 million people out there.
“We received so many messages wishing us well on social media and on WhatsApp and phone calls etc so this one is for everyone out there – the coaches and players that have come before,” said an emotional Ellis.
RELATED STORY: Desiree Ellis: The extraordinary girl who shattered football’s glass ceiling
