Indications are that the cash incentive in the form of R400 000 per player dangled by the Safa in front of Banyana Banyana if they win the 2022 Women’s Africa Africa Cup of Nations (Awcon) trophy is spurring them on towards that goal.
Banyana convincingly thrashed Africa’s number one ranked team Nigeria’s Super Falcons 2-1 in their Group C Awcon opening match at the at the Moulay Hassan FUS in Morocco, Rabat on Monday night.
Coach Desiree Ellis was over the moon with her charges’ performance as this was evident in her post-match reaction.
“We knew we needed a good start, to give us the confidence, to give us the momentum. They [SA players] executed the plan to the T, in the first half, we could have played more through balls, but we executed much better in the second half,” said Ellis after Banyana’s good start.
“This is a massive three points, and it sets the tone for the rest of the tournament for us, we knew that we could not physically match them. We knew that our strength was keeping the ball on the ground.
“We wanted to move the ball around much quicker. Our movement was good. Our passing of the ball and our switching of the play was really good, and that is what resulted in the goals.”
Banyana are one win away from qualifying for the quarterfinals and beside Nigeria, other national team in the group are neighbours Botswana and Burundi. BaTswana outclassed the Burundians 4-2 in the other Group C match also played on Monday.
Continued Ellis: “Look, we’re not going to underestimate any team. You see the teams that are here, Tunisia beat Equatorial Guinea, and Senegal beat Mali. This game (against the Super Falcons) is now behind us, and we focus on the next opponent, which is Burundi; we’ll stay level-headed.”
Banyana play Burundi next on Thursday, kick-off is at 7pm and Botswana on Sunday at 10pm.
