Ellis urges fans to fill stadium for Banyana-Nigeria qualifier
● Desiree Ellis is bracing herself for yet another match of her life as Banyana Banyana coach.
Not that the decorated Cape Town-born coach — who celebrated her 61st birthday this month — has not faced tough assignments since her appointment in 2016.
Ellis, who has been crowned three times (2018, 2019 and 2022) as best women’s national team coach in Africa, has twice qualified Banyana for the Women’s Fifa World Cup (2019 and 2023) and is the first Banyana coach to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (2022), and the first to take Banyana to the knockout stages of the World Cup (2023).
But when Ellis talks about the upcoming decisive 2024 Olympic Games qualifier against old nemesis Nigeria next month, you’d think she’s never been in a do-or-die situation with Banyana. Such is her zeal, desire and determination to win that she talks about the Nigeria clash as if her life depended on it.
“You can’t take anything for granted based on what you’ve achieved in the past,” Ellis told the Sunday Times this week as she wrapped up preparations to name the final squad that will face the Super Falcons on April 5 in Nigeria, and on April 9 in the second leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Under normal circumstances, Ellis shouldn’t have sleepless nights thinking about Nigeria, a team Banyana have beaten every time in their last four clashes.
Despite failing to qualify for the last three Olympics, the Super Falcons — who have been crowned African champions 11 times remain the No 1 ranked women’s side on the continent, and are the only African side to qualify for all women’s World Cup tournaments since 1991.
“We have every reason to pay attention to every little detail when we prepare to meet Nigeria,” says Ellis.
“We know that they’re still a quality team but if you look at all the result we got against them, they have been outside the country. It shows what Banyana are capable of but we still have to be at our absolute best to get the result.”
Ellis is pleased that she’ll have all her players for the Nigeria game, including stalwart defender Bambanani Mbane, skipper Refiloe Jane, Sibulele Holweni and Bongeka Gamede. The four missed the previous two Olympic qualifiers against DR Congo and Tanzania because of injuries.
But Ellis emphasised that Banyana cannot beat Nigeria without the support of the fans, especially in the second leg at home. “The tie will never be over in the first leg, irrespective of the result. We need the fans to come out in their numbers. Sometimes when there’ sa lull in the game, the fans can lift you with their support. We urge South Africans to fill up the stadium,” said Ellis.
While a winner between Nigeria and Banyana will be in the same group with Japan, Brazil and world champions Spain in Paris, Ellis said she will avoid talking about that to her team before getting the result against Nigeria.
“Look, all I’m concentrating on is this game (Nigeria) because, if you look further than that, you’re losing focus for what is right in front of you. We’ve seen that (the draw for the Olympics), it’s in the back of our minds but all we’re concentrating on now is two matches against Nigeria,” she said.
Banyana were at the Olympics in 2012 and 2016 but failed in both tournaments to progress to the second round as they finished at the bottom of their groups. A win over Nigeria might just be the tonic Banyana need ahead of what promises to be another tough tournament in Paris.
For Ellis, qualifying for the Olympics will add a further cap in what is already a stellar stint, the longest (eight years and counting) for any senior SA women’s or men’s national football coach.