Desiree Ellis has explained the return of veteran defender Janine van Wyk, who left the Banyana Banyana camp last month on a sad note during their 2024 CAF Women’s Olympic qualifiers against DR Congo.
This comes after Ellis named her squad that will face Burkina Faso in the CAF WAFCON qualifiers this month. The squad announcement took place at the SAFA House on Thursday, 23 November 2023.
Ellis’ charges will take on the West African nation in home and away fixtures in the WAFCON qualifiers.
Banyana will face Burkina Faso in the first leg on 30 November 2023 away from home. The return leg will take place on 4 December 2023 in South Africa.
JANINE VAN WYK SET TO BREAK RECORD
The squad announcement saw the return of the Banyana stalwart Van Wyk. This was after she was not afforded a chance to earn her 184th cap against DR Congo last month.
The JVW FC boss was set to bring the curtain down when Ellis’ troops battled it out with the Congolese side.
Van Wyk was hoping to equal Ahmed Hassan’s record of the most capped player in Africa, male or female, with 184 caps.
DESIREE ELLIS ON JANINE VAN WYK’S SELECTION
With coach Ellis keen to help Van Wyk break the record in the upcoming two matches against Burkina Faso, the highly-rated defender will become the most capped player, male or female, on the continent with 186 caps.
“We will do our utmost best to get her those two caps,” said Banyana mentor, Ellis.
“It’s not just a recruit for her. But I think it’s a recruit for women’s football in the country. It’s a record for SAFA and a record for women’s football on the continent.
“And here she was in the previous camp and I was asked the question by the media if ‘is there another opportunity?’ and I said Burkina Faso and here is the opportunity.”
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