Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has issued a bold statement ahead of their highly anticipated semi-final clash with Nigeria’s Super Falcons at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
South Africa edged Senegal in a dramatic quarter-final on Saturday night, securing their place in the final four after a 4-1 penalty shootout victory.
Goalkeeper Andile Dlamini emerged as the star, making two crucial saves to seal the win.
That hard-fought triumph sets up a heavyweight showdown against arch-rivals Nigeria at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Tuesday.
Banyana Banyana will be seeking revenge, having lost the Paris 2024 Olympic Games ticket to the Super Falcons just months earlier.
Meanwhile, Nigeria showed their dominance in the tournament with a commanding 5-0 demolition of Zambia’s Copper Queens in their own quarter-final on Friday.
Statistically, the Super Falcons have been the standout side so far, scoring the most goals (9) and maintaining a perfect defensive record with zero goals conceded.
Despite those impressive numbers, Ellis remains confident in her team’s ability to overcome the tournament favourites.
“We know what this match means. We know what it takes to beat Nigeria,” Ellis told CAFonline, sending a clear message that the reigning champions are ready for the challenge.
