Ellis wary of fatigue ahead of Banyana semifinal clash against Nigeria
South Africa meet Nigeria in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations of Nations semifinals on Tuesday (6pm, SA time) at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca, Morocco.
Banyana struggled to overcome the tough Lionesses of Terenga until penalties came to the rescue with goalkeeper Andile Dlamini saving two of them. The tough south-vs-west battle in Oujda had ended in a goalless draw after extra time.
Nigeria thumped Zambia 5-0 in their quarterfinal on Friday.
๐ ๐๐ธ๐ฝโ๐โ ๐๐๐๐ ๐
โฝ๏ธ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: Bambanani Mbane converts and send Banyana Banyana to the semi-finals!
๐ฟ๐ฆ โ โ โ โ
๐ธ๐ณ โ โโ
๐จ LIVE
๐บ SABC 3
๐ฑ https://t.co/26PdrPrnVE #SABCSportFootball #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2024 pic.twitter.com/JIB4mjdLyS
โ SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) July 19, 2025
The semifinal between the two powerhouses of African women's football will be hugely anticipated after South Africa beat record 11-time winners Nigeria in the group stage of the 2022 Wafcon, also in Morocco, on the way to Banyana's first title. The 2-1 loss was the Super Falcons' first in the group stages in 20 years.
Ellis is concerned her team night not have had enough time to recover for the matchup on Tuesday.
'We are not thinking about Nigeria right now, we will think about the next match tomorrow [on Sunday]. Let's celebrate what we have done,' Ellis said after Saturday's match.
๐ ๐๐ธ๐ฝโ๐โ ๐๐๐๐ ๐
โฝ๏ธ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: Andile Dlamini once again denies Senegal!
๐ฟ๐ฆ โ โ โ
๐ธ๐ณ โ โโ
๐จ LIVE
๐บ SABC 3
๐ฑ https://t.co/26PdrPrnVE #SABCSportFootball #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2024 pic.twitter.com/cQe6bAplmh
โ SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) July 19, 2025
'We won't overthink anything because we want to celebrate what we have done. As a technical team, we are already standing on one side talking about how we are going to plan and how we are going to prepare because 120 minutes with a day less to prepare and a day to travel takes a lot [out of everyone].'
Ellis praised Banyana's resilience against Senegal and hopes to see the same against Nigeria.
'We have been practising penalties and we knew who our kickers were going to be and that's why we made the changes we made. We always knew Andile could save one or two; she had done [that] before.
'This was our first penalty shoot-out victory in the Wafcon. We lost it in the 2006 and 2018 finals. I don't have enough words to describe this team โ the resilience, the courage, the never-say-die attitude and the willingness to fight for each other.
'No matter what they threw at us, we were able to withstand it.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Maverick
2 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Defending champions Banyana Banyana crash out of Wafcon after Nigeria defeat
Banyana Bayana's Women's Africa Cup of Nations title defence came to an end with a 2-1 defeat on Tuesday to Nigeria in a semifinal of the Morocco-hosted tournament. Clashes between Banyana Banyana and Nigeria's Super Falcons are always gladiatorial, and theirs is one of the biggest rivalries in women's soccer. The Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) meeting between the two on Tuesday, 22 July at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca was poised to be another colourful chapter in this long-standing rivalry. It ended in a 2-1 victory to Nigeria after a tense 96-minute battle. Nigeria opened the scoring on the cusp of half-time after Bambanani Mbane was penalised for an unfortunate handball. Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade squeezed her spot-kick into the back of the net, past goalkeeper Andile Dlamini. On 56 minutes, South Africa won a penalty, which was eventually ratified after a lengthy video assistant referee review. Up stepped playmaker Linda Motlhalo to calmly convert and bring Banyana Banyana level. This goal shifted the momentum firmly in South Africa's favour, with Desiree Ellis's team creating several opportunities, but they were unable to capitalise on this rare period of dominance. A chain of unfortunate events The wind was knocked out of their sails when they lost left winger Gabriela Salgado to a horrific leg injury late in the second half. The Banyana Banyana players were visibly distraught at losing their teammate in that manner, and they never recovered. Michelle Alozie's searching cross from the right wing on 94 minutes somehow evaded everyone in the Banyana box, including charging goalkeeper Dlamini, as it trickled into the goal. The unexpected blow came against the run of play, with extra-time seeming the most likely next chapter of this semifinal story. Sluggish campaign Banyana Banyana did not display the same swagger that helped them clinch their maiden title in 2022. Except for the 4-0 demolition of Mali in the group stage, the team were sluggish throughout this Wafcon campaign. Following this defeat, it's back to the drawing board for South Africa's senior women's soccer side. But first they must fight for the bronze medal. 'Yes, Banyana Banyana did not win the game. But there's still a lot to fight for. They still need to deliver that bronze medal to Gabriela. She deserves a medal. Even Jermaine Seoposenwe [who is retiring] deserves to leave with a bronze medal. So, one more game to go,' said Banyana midfielder Kholosa Biyana on SuperSport. As for the Nigerians, they now have a massive chance to win their 10th title since this continental competition became the Wafcon in 1998. Old rivals The feud between Banyana Banyana and Nigeria dates back to the 1995 edition of the continental tournament, when it was still known as the African Women's Championship. Banyana Banyana and Nigeria met in the final, with the Super Falcons soaring to a ruthless 11-2 aggregate victory in the two-legged decider. In the years that followed, the rivalry has blossomed, with the Nigerians enjoying the most success. At Wafcon, the teams had met five times in the semifinals before the tussle in Casablanca, with the Super Falcons losing only once during those last-four meetings. The most recent encounter between the two at the tournament ended in a 2-1 victory for Banyana Banyana in the group stage of the 2022 edition. Banyana were always going to have a tough task when they came up against a Super Falcons team that was high in confidence after tearing apart Zambia 5-0 in the quarterfinals. The Nigerians were yet to concede a goal at the tournament. Banyana Banyana, on the other hand, scraped into the semifinals after beating Senegal 4-1 on penalties. While Banyana Banyana had dominated recent competitive fixtures between the two teams, the turning point came during the Paris Olympic Games qualifiers in 2024. The Nigerians won 1-0 on aggregate over two legs to book their ticket to France at the expense of the South Africans. Their victory in Morocco is a clear indication that the Nigerians are once again asserting their dominance in this rivalry. DM
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Heartbreak for Banyana Banyana as Nigeria claims victory in Wafcon semi-final
BANYANA Banyana midfielder Linda Motlhalo challenged by Rasheedat Ajibade of Nigeria during the semi-final of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Casablanca. Motlhalo scored a second half as South Africa lost 2-1 as the game finished with traumatic scenes due Gabriela Slagado injury. | BackpagePix Incredulously none of them did and goalkeeper Dlamini had somewhat expected them to redirect the ball to her right and went that way. But the ball bounced and trickled into the net untouched. Extra time loomed large when an innocuous-looking punt from the middle of the pitch by Michelle Alozie found its way into the box. The Banyana defenders went to sleep, leaving two Nigerian strikers in the position to connect with the ball. South Africa's senior national team were knocked out of the Total Energies Women's Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday night in Casablanca, Desiree Ellis' team losing 2-1 to bitter rivals Nigeria who are now set to become continental champions a record extending 10th time. THE TITLE defence dream has gone up in smoke. Banyana Banyaya's reign as African champions is over. Congratulations to Banyana Banyana!๐ฟ๐ฆ You have made South Africa proud with your dedication, resilience and excellence on the field. ๐ซถ๐พโฝ It was a heartbreaking way for Banyana to lose a match they'd appeared to have salvaged with an improved second half performance after they'd gone to the break a goal down after conceding a penalty. Bambanani Mbane had handled the ball in the box as she attempted to stop an attacker and Super Falcons skipper Rasheedat Ajibades duly converted although Dlamini had gone the right way and actually got her hand to the ball but not enough to keep it out. Banyana equalized from the spot kick also via star player Linda Motlhalo after Hilda Magaia was pulled back and down inside the danger box. The match was see-sawing from one end to the other, with Banyana actually enjoying the upper hand when Gaby Salgado suffered a horrific injury that sent the players near the incident holding their heads in shock, calling for immediate help and then crying. The winger who had missed the 2022 tournament due to injury broke her leg during a goalmouth scramble as the Super Falcons went in search for the winner. The injury knocked the wind out of Banyana's sails as they lost the momentum they'd enjoyed earlier on. Still, it appeared the match would head into the extended half an hour period with just a few minutes left to play. And it looked as though Banyana were playing for time, no doubt keen to recalibrate following Salgado's injury. But Nigeria had other ideas and they pumped the ball forward in hope. That long punt looked set to be cleared, but with no Banyana player jumping up to head it clear it fell right in front of Dlamini and went the other way into the net, with Karabo Dhlamini's attempts to kick it out probing in vain as she only connected with it long after it had crossed the line. And just like that, Banyana's hopes of winning the continental title a second time was gone. Though they had enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the first half, it was Nigeria who had looked dangerous as they made the more promising attacks and forced some good saves out of Dlamini early on. The player nicknamed Sticks thwarted the Super Falcons in the eighth and 11th minute, with Tiisetso Makhubela clearing the ball off the line. Banyana had a brilliant chance to take the lead on 40 minutes but Hilda Magaia scuffed the ball wide of the goal when faced with just the goalkeeper. Nigeria then took the lead three minutes thereafter. The second half was barely ten minutes old when Motlhlalo equalized and Banyana should have gone ahead on 72 minutes after a great Salgado cross fell for Noxolo Cesane. The substitute did well to stab the ball through the legs of the Nigerian goalkeeper but not strong enough for it to go over the line as a SuperFlancos defender managed to clear it before it went in. Jermaine Seoposenwe then had a free shot on goal from the edge of the box but she succeeded in disturbing the Casablanca bats' flying pattern instead of finding the target. Salgado's horrific injury brought an eerie hush into the arena before the crowd stood as one and applauded her โas she was being stretchered off the pitch. Normality returned when Nigeria scored the winner that ended the dreams of Banyana bringing the title back home from Morocco a second time. They will now have to strive to get the consolation third place bronze medals while Nigeria will look to win their 10th title.
Eyewitness News
4 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Nigeria ends Banyana's WAFCON title defence
CAPE TOWN - Nigeria knocked Banyana Banyana out of the Women's African Cup of Nations on Tuesday night. The defending champions were defeated 2-1 in their semifinal match at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, with Nigeria scoring an injury-time winner. The scores were locked at 1-1 at the end of the regulation 90 minutes, but Nigeria struck in the 94th minute to send the defending champions out of the tournament. Earlier, Nigeria took the lead through a penalty in the 45th minute. South Africa equalised through a Motlhalo penalty in the 60th minute. Nigeria will face either Morocco or Ghana in the final.
