Banyana peaking at the right time as Wafcon knockout stages loom
South Africa started the tournament with a 2-0 win over Ghana where they played in patches and followed that with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Tanzania. They wrapped up the group stages with a convincing 4-0 victory over Mali that signalled Banyana's intent to defend their 2022 title.
Coach Desiree Ellis's team meet unpredictable Senegal, who progressed to the knockout stage as one of the three best third-placed finishers, at Stade d'Honneur in Oujda (9pm SA time), where they played all three group games.
Banyana Banyana defender Gabriela Salgado says they know what is at stake and will make sure that they stick to the game plan when they face Senegal in the WAFCON quarterfinal on Saturday.
📹 SAFA #SABCSportFootball pic.twitter.com/vpABZLNiT3
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) July 17, 2025
'We did have a bumpy start but its normal in a tournament. We came from our clubs and we have worked very hard to implement what the coach worked on at training,' Salgado said.
'Some days things didn't go according to plan but our hard work on the training field paid off. Things came together at the perfect time and we are ready for the remainder of the tournament.
'We know what is expected of us, we understand each other much better and we are going to give our best to progress to the next round.
'We are going to need each other and support from South Africans back home. We will go out there to give our best and hopefully get the result we want.'
🏆 𝕎𝔸𝔽ℂ𝕆ℕ 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟜 🏆
⚽️ ⒼⓄⒶⓁ: Ronnel Donnelly makes if four for Banyana Banyana!
🇿🇦 4⃣➖0⃣ 🇲🇱
🚨 LIVE
📺 SABC 3
📱 https://t.co/26PdrPrnVE #SABCSportFootball #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2024 pic.twitter.com/PPAJvruMKL
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) July 14, 2025
Salgado said South Africa have a good idea of what to expect from Senegal, who lost two and won one of their group-stage matches.
'We have watched clips of their games because we do a lot of video sessions to analyse opposition, so we have a good game plan going into the mach.
'We have to go out there and stick to the plan. It is a crucial game. We have the country expecting us to do well and we also owe it to ourselves because we want to defend the title.'
Salgado missed out on the last Wafcon due to injury and is happy to have made her tournament debut.
'It is an honour being here. It has not been an easy tournament because every team has come out to beat us but we have stood together and we are in the quarterfinal stage.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
9 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
'I haven't been happy in the national team': Seoposenwe opens up about Banyana Banyana exit
Former Banyana Banyana forward Jermaine Seoposenwe has opened up about her decision to leave the national team. Seoposenwe announced her retirement from international soccer after the Women's Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco. In an interview with Marawa Sports Worldwide, Seoposenwe said while the decision to leave was not easy, it was necessary, citing her unhappiness in the team. 'It's been a journey for me in the national team,' she said. 'Football has given me everything, and it's tough for me to walk away from the national team. After 15 years and the ability that I still have as one of the best players in the country, it's tough. It's tough to walk away from my teammates, the people of South Africa and how they supported me. It's tough to make that decision, but I feel like it's something I had to do. 'I haven't been happy in the national team for a long time but obviously continuing to push through those emotions and those feelings has been tough.' She said the South African Football Association (Safa), the coaching and culture were the reasons for her unhappiness in the team, adding there were disputes when it came to negotiating prize monies for tournaments. 'It's definitely the association and treatment of us in many instances. I think I tried to wrap my head around it but it's difficult as a player, especially being overseas and in an environment where our directors and the club try to make everything as equal as possible. 'Every time we go to a major tournament, we have to fight about money and basically everything. Why do we have to fight? Why can't you plan out for the year? Fifa gives you a calendar of what we are going to do, why can't you budget for those Fifa dates? Why is it so impossible for you to do well by us?' She revealed that the squad received R15,000 bonuses for winning a match against a side not ranked in the top 20, while also getting daily allowances. She added the squad did not receive other necessities like dietitians and proper facilities. 'When you are treated the way you need to be treated, then come back to an environment that you aren't treated the way you want to be treated, it becomes difficult for you to do your job to your best of your abilities.' The 31-year-old was part of the squad that won the Wafcon tournament in 2022, gaining entry to the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup in Australia where they were knocked out in the round of 16. She now plays for Mexican Liga MX Femenil club Monterrey. 'If you're happy in a certain environment, that's how I feel in Mexico with Rayados. I'm happy, vibrant, just a completely different person and then coming back to the national team ... seeing myself it's crazy to me sometimes, just to sit down with myself and know the difference in how I feel with my team in Mexico while I'm in the national team is not who I am.' Seoposenwe said she was not appreciated enough in the national team. 'I know what I can bring to the national team, I know what I mean to my teammates and the people of South Africa. I just felt like out of respect for everyone involved, within the national team and people of South Africa, and just the performances that I have given since I've got back, it's just not up to my standard. If I'm going to be this person, then what's the use?'
The Herald
11 hours ago
- The Herald
'I haven't been happy in the national team': Seoposenwe opens up about Banyana Banyana exit
Former Banyana Banyana forward Jermaine Seoposenwe has opened up about her decision to leave the national team. Seoposenwe announced her retirement from international soccer after the Women's Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco. In an interview with Marawa Sports Worldwide, Seoposenwe said while the decision to leave was not easy, it was necessary, citing her unhappiness in the team. 'It's been a journey for me in the national team,' she said. 'Football has given me everything, and it's tough for me to walk away from the national team. After 15 years and the ability that I still have as one of the best players in the country, it's tough. It's tough to walk away from my teammates, the people of South Africa and how they supported me. It's tough to make that decision, but I feel like it's something I had to do. 'I haven't been happy in the national team for a long time but obviously continuing to push through those emotions and those feelings has been tough.' She said the South African Football Association (Safa), the coaching and culture were the reasons for her unhappiness in the team, adding there were disputes when it came to negotiating prize monies for tournaments. 'It's definitely the association and treatment of us in many instances. I think I tried to wrap my head around it but it's difficult as a player, especially being overseas and in an environment where our directors and the club try to make everything as equal as possible. 'Every time we go to a major tournament, we have to fight about money and basically everything. Why do we have to fight? Why can't you plan out for the year? Fifa gives you a calendar of what we are going to do, why can't you budget for those Fifa dates? Why is it so impossible for you to do well by us?' She revealed that the squad received R15,000 bonuses for winning a match against a side not ranked in the top 20, while also getting daily allowances. She added the squad did not receive other necessities like dietitians and proper facilities. 'When you are treated the way you need to be treated, then come back to an environment that you aren't treated the way you want to be treated, it becomes difficult for you to do your job to your best of your abilities.' The 31-year-old was part of the squad that won the Wafcon tournament in 2022, gaining entry to the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup in Australia where they were knocked out in the round of 16. She now plays for Mexican Liga MX Femenil club Monterrey. 'If you're happy in a certain environment, that's how I feel in Mexico with Rayados. I'm happy, vibrant, just a completely different person and then coming back to the national team ... seeing myself it's crazy to me sometimes, just to sit down with myself and know the difference in how I feel with my team in Mexico while I'm in the national team is not who I am.' Seoposenwe said she was not appreciated enough in the national team. 'I know what I can bring to the national team, I know what I mean to my teammates and the people of South Africa. I just felt like out of respect for everyone involved, within the national team and people of South Africa, and just the performances that I have given since I've got back, it's just not up to my standard. If I'm going to be this person, then what's the use?'
eNCA
2 days ago
- eNCA
After stadium delays, African Nations Championship kicks off
KENYA - After severe delays in stadium renovations, east Africa is finally ready to co-host the much-awaited African Nations Championship (CHAN), kicking off on Saturday. It is a historic moment for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, whose "Pamoja" - meaning "together" in Swahili - bid two years ago gave birth to the first Confederation of African Football (CAF) tournament in the region since 1976, and the first to be jointly hosted by three countries. The CHAN tournament, which runs to August 30, acts as a precursor to the continent's main event, the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, also co-hosted by the three countries. CHAN features only players from domestic clubs, and cannot include anyone playing for teams abroad. Getting the five stadiums ready has been a struggle, with CAF delaying the tournament from its planned dates in February to give them more time to prepare. On a final inspection tour in Nairobi last week CAF general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba celebrated the three nations' progress and co-operation. "I think we in Africa need to learn from this model. Three countries have pooled their efforts and resources to successfully deliver," he told reporters. - 'Great challenge' - Tanzania will get the 19-team competition underway when they play Burkina Faso at the Benjamin Mkapa stadium in the economic capital Dar es Salaam on Saturday. Favourites Morocco pulled out of the last competition in Algeria in February 2023, but have returned with one of the tournament's strongest teams, featuring six players from the winning CAF Confederation Cup - including Olympian goalkeeper Rachid Ghanimi. The two-time champions have been drawn in Group A, alongside hosts Kenya, as well as Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kenya are making their debut under South African head coach Benni McCarthy, part of Erik ten Hag's Manchester United coaching staff. "Honestly, it is a great challenge," the 47-year-old said. "When you play football and then convert to become a coach, to get what you want to be the best, the difficult teams will always be in your path. You have to beat them anyway." Co-hosts Uganda have competed in six of the previous seven CHAN tournaments without ever qualifying for the knockout phase, but they hope to break the jinx, beginning with the home group matches against Algeria, Guinea, Niger and South Africa. They have tapped former national team captain Denis Onyango to join the technical bench and help improve their goalkeeping. Meanwhile, defending champions Senegal begin against fellow west African rivals Nigeria at Zanzibar's Amaan stadium on August 5.
