Donnelly’s dream debut as she shares pitch with idol Seoposenwe

Striker Ronnel Donnelly has already realised two important dreams at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco.

The 21-year-old earned her maiden Banyana Banyana cap in South Africa’s 2-0 victory over Ghana in their Group C opener on Monday — a moment made even more special as she shared the pitch with her long-time idol and national teammate, Jermaine Seoposenwe.

“Honestly, no, not at all,” said Donnelly, when asked if she expected to make her debut against the Black Queens at Honneur Stadium in Oujda.

“I didn’t think I’d get the chance to play alongside the people I look up to — like Jermaine. I look up to her in every way possible, so actually playing with her has been an honour. I didn’t expect it at all, but I am so grateful to be here. Like, tjo!”

Donnelly’s admiration for Seoposenwe clearly runs deep. Having finally shared the field with her in an official match, the young forward now believes that even greater things lie ahead.

“Oh, my God, it felt really good!” she gushed.

“It gave me hope and showed me that there’s so much I can learn from her. “I enjoy playing with her a lot in training, and when we both got onto the pitch at the same time, I thought: ‘Damn, I see something here’.”

Her self-belief has grown since earning her first national cap, but Donnelly was already firmly on coach Desiree Ellis’ radar, thanks to her exploits in the Hollywoodbets Super League and with Varsity side University of the Western Cape (UWC).

Donnelly had a standout 2024 campaign with UWC — winning the COSAFA Cup, playing in the CAF Women’s Champions League, and earning both the Player of the Tournament and Top Goal Scorer awards at the Varsity Football Cup.

Despite those achievements, nerves still crept in when her national debut beckoned.

“I was obviously nervous because it was my first time playing for the team,” she said.

“But the fact that I went in meant I must be doing something right in training — that’s motivating. “It shows there’s something in me, and now I need to buckle down and work even harder to get more caps.”

While her debut was a personal triumph, Donnelly stressed the importance of Banyana getting their Wafcon campaign off to a winning start.

“It was very important for us — it was a must-win. We worked well and didn’t give up until the final whistle,” she said. “We don’t want to drop our heads; we want to keep going and treat this as just the first step — there’s still more work to do.”

Donnelly could earn her second cap on Friday (kick-off 9pm) when Banyana face Tanzania in their second Group C fixture at Honneur Stadium.

Confident in the team’s ability, she believes another win is within reach — and with it, a place in the knockout stages.

“Obviously, every game is important for us, so this one is crucial — another must-win,” Donnelly said.

“As a team, I think we’ve got this. We’re going to go out there, dominate the game, and get the three points.”