Sweden too good for Banyana, but Ellis won’t lose any heart

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis (right) has admitted her team need to raise their level but she also took plenty positives in their 3-0 loss to Sweden in an international friendly at the Cape Town Stadium on Sunday.

Ellis’ team were hit with a major blow early on when Bloemfontein Celtic defender Bambanani Mbane put the ball into her own net while trying to clear from a set-piece in the opening 10 minutes.

Banyana went in search of an equaliser and could not find the back of the net with striker Thembi Kgatlana missing a number of chances, and the Swedes went in to score two more goals in the second half.

“We take a lot of positives from this exercise and we are the first to admit we have to raise our level a little bit more to get to their standard. This was a fantastic performance from the players, but it is not the result we wanted. We will continue to work hard towards the bigger picture, which is the qualification of the 2019 Fifa World Cup. This match was the start of that process, so we are happy with the output but not the result,” said Ellis.

Despite losing the match, Ellis said the game was to give some of her players an opportunity to play at the highest level and she was really proud to see some players raise their hands.

“We felt we needed to give other players a chance, there was hardly any balance. It was not just about the result but also giving players an opportunity, and test them at the level they have never been at. Some fell short, but others raised their hands and that’s what this friendly was all about. Overall I cannot complain, I am really proud of the players because we held our own.”

The senior women’s team will now be preparing to head to the Cyprus Women’s annual tournament which starts on February 7.