WATCH: Desiree Ellis breaks down Banyana’s gritty COSAFA opener

Following Banyana Banyana’s hard-fought 2-0 victory over Malawi in their 2025 COSAFA Women’s Championship opener, head coach Desiree Ellis didn’t just celebrate the three points; she celebrated the perseverance of a “new guard” under immense pressure.

Speaking from the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Ellis was candid about the challenges her side faced, emphasising that while the performance wasn’t flawless, the psychological growth of her young squad was exactly what she needed to see ahead of the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco.

“𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.” — 𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀 🇿🇦

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis reflects on a tough opening win against Malawi on Wednesday, stating that debutants stepped up under pressure in Polokwane.

With WAFCON 2026 in sight, the audition… pic.twitter.com/Q2vrfmz6AH

— Pan-Africa Football (@PanAfricaFooty) February 19, 2026

Perseverance Over Perfection – Ellis

Ellis admitted that the first half was a struggle as a different-looking South African side, featuring several debutants, tried to find their rhythm against a physical Malawian team.

“There are a lot of things we worked on, like our finishing. It is important that we walked away with a victory, and we are happy with that,” said Ellis. “But I think in the first half, we struggled a little bit to find each other. But again, it’s a new group of players that we’re working with. The perseverance was the key to victory tonight.”

The coach noted that despite the “stalemate at the break,” she was satisfied with how the players remained calm. She praised their ability to “put the ball down” in the second half—a hallmark of the South African style—which eventually led to Sibulele Holweni’s clinical opener and Bonolo Mokoma’s stoppage-time sealer.

For Ellis, this tournament is less about defending the regional title and more about a rigorous audition process. With a massive 38-player pool currently in camp, she is using every COSAFA minute to “align” her domestic talent with the intensity required for the upcoming WAFCON.

Injury Management: Ellis expressed relief that her squad finished the match “without any problems,” a crucial factor given the high-intensity schedule.

Youth Assessment: She highlighted the performances of debutants like Sinegugu Zondi and Sbongakonke Mzobe, noting that seeing how they “stepped up” under the Polokwane heat was a major positive.

Tactical Flexibility: Ellis was pleased with the defensive discipline, noting that the team managed to neutralize Malawi’s long-ball threats effectively.

Building for Morocco 2026

The coach was firm in her long-term vision, reminding fans and media alike that every tactical decision in this tournament serves a higher purpose.

“We know what we need to work on because it’s all about WAFCON for us,” she concluded. “We had only a few training sessions, and the season hasn’t started yet, so it’s going to take some time. But the way they managed the game was satisfying.”

With Angola up next on Saturday, Ellis indicated that the rotation of players will continue as she seeks the perfect “mix” for the final squad selection.

Would you like me to draft a tactical preview for the upcoming match against Angola based on Ellis’s rotation strategy?