Banyana coach Ellis announces squad to face Australia

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has announced a 23-woman squad to face Australia in their 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup friendly match in London on 8 October.

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Banyana’s World Cup preparations began with a two legged friendly tie against Brazil, which saw the South Africans losing both ties 3-0 and 6-0 respectively.

Both games were a big lesson to the current Caf Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) champions, and Ellis wants her charges to trust themselves more and play their normal game against Australia.

“We need to trust ourselves more on the ball because we are a ball playing team, and we are a team that plays from the back. We need to consistently play against higher level teams to make sure that when we get to the World Cup if an opponent is lesser ranked than what we have played then we are able to cope and match them,” said Ellis during the squad announcement at SABC Sport studios on Thursday.

“It doesn’t make sense just to sit and play because you are not going to go forward. On the ball, we have to make better decisions because there were times when we didn’t make better decisions. And in the final third, there were times when I felt that we could have played forward early, we did not and we just played safe.”

Australia, the co-hosts of next year’s World Cup, will battle it out with Banyana on 8 October in London.

The Banyana squad:

Goalkeepers: Andile Dlamini, Regirl Ngobeni, Dineo Magagula

Defenders: Thato Letsoso, Fikile Magama, Tiiesetso Makhubela, Lonathemba Mhlongo, Cynthia Makete, Bambanani Mbane, Bongeka Gamede

Midfielders: Cimone Sauls, Refiloe Jane, Sibulele Holweni, Linda Motlhalo, Thalea Smidt, Robyn Moodaly, Amogelang Motau

Strikers: Nthabiseng Majiya, Thubelihle Shamase, Gabriela Salgado, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Melinda Kgadiete, Hilda Magaia