Ellis labels Ghana quality side after Banyana triumph in WAFCON opener

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has admitted that Ghana were a difficult side despite South Africa kicking off their CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title defence on a positive note with a 2-0 win at the Stade d’Honneur in Oujda, Morocco on Monday.

Goals from Linda Motlhalo and Jermaine Seoposenwe inside the opening 35 minutes gave Banyana the positive result they needed to assert their status as title contenders in the expanded 12-team competition. The opening win saw the reigning African Champions win their seventh consecutive match in this tournament.

Banyana looked composed from the outset and took the lead on 28 minutes after a VAR review confirmed a penalty for a foul on Noxolo Cesane, who was celebrating her 50th cap. Motlhalo stepped up to find the back of the net past goalkeeper Cynthia Koldan Findib.

Six minutes later, Seoposenwe made it 2-0 after she completed a pass from Lebohang Ramalepe as Banyana went to the dressing room with a comfortable 2-0 advantage.

“They had us under pressure, and we couldn’t get out of our half, we changed things a bit and started getting onto the ball more because that is our strength,’ Ellis told reporters after the victory.

“I haven’t seen the penalty though, but I know the foul was in the box – sometimes it goes for you sometimes it doesn’t. But I think the second goal came also at a great time. We could have finished it off with the third one and they almost got back in.

“Overall, I think it was even Stevens because Andile Dlamini made quite a couple of saves as well. We always say if we can keep a clean sheet we win the game, and today our whole team played defensively really well. But it was extremely hot out there and I think the cooling break was welcome. Take nothing away from Ghana, they are still a quality side.”

Banyana will return to action for the second fixture of the tournament on Friday (July 11) as they face Tanzania, who lost against Mali, at the same venue.

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