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IOL News
7 hours ago
- General
- IOL News
Banyana Banyana win tri-series with a perfect record ahead of Wafcon
Jermaine Seoposenwe scored for Banyana Banyana against Zambia on Tuesday. Photo: BackpagePix Image: Backpagepix Jermaine Seoposenwe starred for Banyana Banyana, who pulled off a clean sweep in the Cosafa Tri-Nations series in their preparations for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. Seoposenwe scored the winner in the 2-0 win over Zambia in the final game of the series at Lucas Masterpieces Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. The Mexico-based striker had also scored a brace in the 3-2 win over Botswana in their opener, as they finished the series with a perfect record on home soil. Seoposenwe makes it 2-0 to Banyana Banyana — Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) June 3, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Seoposenwe's goal against the Copper Queens came late in the second half, as she capitalised from a poor clearance at the back, before slotting home from close-range. Bongeka Gamede had put the defending African champions in the driving seat in the 74th minute, as she rattled the roof of the net with a thunderbolt free-kick. On paper, it was the perfect day in the office for Desiree Ellis and her troops, but the coach will know that Banyana's work is still cut out for them ahead of Wafcon next month. The Copper Queens' talisman Barbra Banda had many openings in this game, especially in the first half. She only lacked support, which could have punished Banyana. So, given there'll be no room for error at Wafcon, Banyana need to be at their best in defence ... if they are to plug their shortcomings. What was also disappointing about Banyana's defence is that they had their regular defence, including central defender Bambanai Mbane and Lebohang Ramalepe. The latter seemingly forgot her role as a defender early on, as she was mostly high up the field, instead of keeping Banyana's shape in defence. Even with her adding numbers up-front, Seoponsenwe and Amogelang Motau were still not clinical in the early stages of the match. Ramalepe was fully converted to a forward in the second half and that swung the tide in Banyana's favour, as Gamede and Seoposenwe chipped in with their all important goals. Ellis will put her head on the block in the next few weeks and announce her final squad for Wafcon as she's already naming the preliminary squad. Scorers BANYANA BANYANA (0) 2 Gamede 74, Seoposenwe 82 ZAMBIA 0


Eyewitness News
a day ago
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Banyana Banyana gear up for Tri-Nations Series match against Zambia
JOHANNESBURG – Banyana Banyana to face Zambia on Tuesday for their final Tri-Nations Series, following a 3-2 win against Botswana. Kick-off for the match is set for 15:00 at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. The Tri-Nations Series is in preparation for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with Banyana Banyana getting off to a good start less than two months before the tournament scheduled for July 5-26. Desiree Ellis' team played to a five-goal thriller against Botswana, winning 3-2 last Wednesday, 28 May, at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. 'The Zambian team brings something different (compared to Botswana), their front three are really quick. Our defensive organisation has to be really good, and when we win the ball, we have to make sure that we hurt them. That's going to be really important,' said Ellis. The Copper Queens were held to a 1-1 draw by Botswana on Saturday and are looking to sharpen their tactical edge ahead of WAFCON. The tournament in Morocco was supposed to have been played last year, but was postponed to this year as it was clashing with the Olympic Games in Paris. Banyana have been fixtured in Group C against Ghana, Mali and Tanzania.

IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Ellis urges composure and growth ahead of final clash with Zambia
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis will be keen to see some new combinations in action on Tuesday in their friendly against Zambia. Photo: BackpagePix Image: Backpagepix Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis says it will be important for the team to win their final Three Nations match against Zambia on Tuesday as they continue preparations for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Banyana started the tournament on a high, beating neighbours Botswana 3–2 at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium on Wednesday. It was a patchy display, though, as they went into the break 3–1 up, only to concede another goal in the second half, making for a nervy finish. Ellis knows that mistakes are part and parcel of football, and that's why she won't be hard on the players if they make errors at this stage of the build-up to WAFCON. Banyana will need to produce a sterling campaign in Morocco, where they will head as defending champions. 'Look, we don't have many camps where we can look at a lot of players, so this is the big game that we've had this year,' Ellis said. 'If players can withstand the pressure here, I'm sure they can withstand WAFCON. If they have a bad game, it doesn't mean they are out of the equation just yet. "They're not going to get everything right, but as long as they understand what we're trying to do, that's important. We need to see something from them. 'We still have time to work on certain things in the pre-WAFCON camp. So, we don't discard someone after one bad day — anyone can have a bad day.' Ellis is aware that Zambia, who qualified for the last Olympic Games, will be tough opposition, which is why she wants her team to be at their best throughout. 'We need to be better at the back — more organised, better communication, better positioning,' she said. 'We also need to be more composed on the ball and offer better passing options. It's going to be key not to give the ball away so easily. 'Sometimes we're not even under pressure, but we still give the ball away cheaply. If you look at the second goal against Botswana, we should have gone left, but instead we played into traffic. "One minute later, the ball was in the back of our net. We have to be better in those moments. We need to make the right decisions.' Jermaine Seoposenwe of Banyana Banyana. Photo: BackpagePix Image: Backpagepix

The Herald
5 days ago
- General
- The Herald
Ellis expects tougher test from Zambia in Banyana's second Wafcon warm-up
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis is expecting Zambia to provide a tougher test for them when they meet in the final match of the Three Nations Series at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday. Banyana started the series with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Botswana in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, on Wednesday afternoon and Ellis said her team will likely to have to improve to beat the Copper Queens. 'No disrespect to Botswana but Zambia have a lot more quality and they bring different types of dynamics to us,' she said. 'Defensively we have to be better because their front line is good and if you make mistakes at the back, they are going to punish you. From our side, when we get opportunities, we have to put them away.

TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Ellis expects tougher test from Zambia in Banyana's second Wafcon warm-up
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis is expecting Zambia to provide a tougher test for them when they meet in the final match of the Three Nations Series at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday. Banyana started the series with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Botswana in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, on Wednesday afternoon and Ellis said her team will likely to have to improve to beat the Copper Queens. 'No disrespect to Botswana but Zambia have a lot more quality and they bring different types of dynamics to us,' she said. 'Defensively we have to be better because their front line is good and if you make mistakes at the back, they are going to punish you. From our side, when we get opportunities, we have to put them away. 🎙️ ℂ𝕆𝔸ℂℍ'𝕊 ℝ𝔼𝔸ℂ𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 🎙️ 🗣️ "𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚘 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗" Despite winning, Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis is disappointed on how they played against Botswana. 🇿🇦 3⃣➖2⃣ 🇧🇼 #SABCSportFootball — SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) May 28, 2025 'It is a game that is going to test us in every aspect because they are physical, they have pace and they are good on the counterattack. We need to do better in all those aspects.' Ellis was happy with the result against Botswana but concerned about the two goals South Africa conceded. 'Especially the first goal, we knew what was coming. I thought we were in a straight line and had cover, but we did not go out to head the ball and allowed it to bounce. 'For the second goal, we played into the traffic and it was not good enough. We have to be better because at Wafcon the level is going to be higher. 'Those are things that we will look at and try to rectify going forward.' ⏪ 🅸🅲🆈🅼🅸 ⏪ Banyana Banyana clinched a 3⃣➖2⃣ victory against Botswana in the three-nations challenge on Wednesday! #SABCSportFootball — SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) May 29, 2025 Ellis welcomed back veterans Refiloe Jane, Regina Mogolola, Bambanani Mbane and Kaabo Dhlamini, who have limited time to impress before the Wafcon squad is announced in the coming weeks. 'It was good to see Refiloe and other players back after such a long time. She [Jane] ran out of legs in the second half but in the first half she was involved in the game and she controlled things nicely. 'I thought Karabo [Dhlamini] did well. She's played at centreback before and we are tying a few things out in these friendly matches. There was also Bambanani. 'You couldn't say they have been gone for a while. Having them back is a big plus for us.'