Desiree Ellis, the coach of Banyana Banyana, is certain that her team is headed in the right direction as they aim to defend the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco in July.
On Tuesday afternoon, Banyana clinched the Three Nations Series by beating Zambia 2-0 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Ellis’ team also emerged victorious in their series opener against Botswana, a formidable opponent, in their 3-0 victory last Wednesday.
Banyana used the series as part of their preparations for Wafcon, which will begin on July 5 between Zambia and Morocco, the host country.
Ellis told the media following the game that the two matches were a favourable test for her team because they pitted them against teams that will also compete in the continental championship.
Preparations for Wafcon continue
“This was a wonderful send-off for all the teams going to Wafcon. I think we’re all going to take a little bit of a break, recover from the flu, and take a bit of a rest as well,” Ellis said.
In addition, she stated that her team is on course and will keep up their preparations, since she is anticipated to reveal her final Wafcon squad in the upcoming weeks.
“We will get back to business and try to bring players in, selecting the final squad and continuing with our preparation, because this just shows that we are on the right track. It also suggests that there is still a significant amount of work ahead.
“There are specific details that we need to improve on, and we need to organise our game plan and plan B so that we are prepared when we arrive at Wafcon,” she continued.
Banyana will begin their Wafcon campaign against Ghana on July 7 after being drawn against Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania in Group C.
