According to coach Desiree Ellis Banyana Banyana will be seeking nothing less than a first-ever Fifa Women’s World Cup win when they come up against Argentina in Dunedin on Friday. Picture: Michele Spatari, AFP
Banyana Banyana will take the field at Forsyth Barr Stadium in the wee hours of Friday morning knowing very well that their fate is in their own hands.
Despite losing their opening match in the World Cup group stage to Sweden, Banyana could still reach the global showpiece knockout stage for the very first time here in Australasia.
However, that’s easier said than done. They’ll have to win their last two matches in Group G against Argentina and Italy, and bank on the other results to go their way to be safe.
Granted achieving a win against La Albiceleste in Dunedin would be Banyana’s first victory in the global showpiece, coach Desiree Ellis says it a do-or-die match for the team’s aspirations to reach the knockout stages of the competition.
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“This is more than just historical, it’s a game we must win. Yes, it will be history when we win as it will be our first win (in a World Cup), but more than that, it is our final,” said during the pre-match press briefing.
“We cannot look any further than this game because anything else doesn’t matter at this moment. That game is the most important one.
“When we started here, we looked at Sweden, and the other two teams were not far off our minds - for now we must face the task at hand, and that is Argentina.”
Having put their best foot forward against Sweden before eventually losing 2-1, Banyana will be backed by their partisan supporters, of which most will wake up at 2am back home, to come away with the win.
After all, Banyana have overcome a lot of adversities en route to their second World Cup. They are not mere participants, having qualified as the reigning Queens of African Football.
Ellis, who’s been instrumental in those turn of fortunes for the national team, says she’s pleased with the way her troops have grown in leaps and bounds – on and off the pitch – over the years.
“It might be our second World Cup, but this team has matured so much over the last four years and gotten so much better mentally with all the challenges that we faced,” Ellis said.
“The last Wafcon, we lost Thembi (Kgatlana) and had Covid-19 in camp leading to the quarterfinal match – which was very tough.
“This team has fought through challenges - against Sweden the same thing, we are not used to playing in torrential rain, but I think we were brave, we were courageous, and we stood up.
“And even though we lost, people saw the South African team and there is more that people haven’t seen and hopefully we can showcase that tomorrow.”
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