Ellis Hails South Africa After Dramatic WAFCON Quarter-Final Win Over Senegal
South Africa’s head coach, Desiree Ellis, has expressed her delight after Banyana Banyana’s hard-fought victory over Senegal in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-finals.
The reigning champions struggled to convert their chances, recording 15 shots on target but failing to score during regular and extra time. The game at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda ended goalless after 120 minutes, but South Africa triumphed 4-1 in the penalty shoot-out.
Banyana Banyana scored all their penalties, while Senegal missed twice. Ellis’ team will now face Nigeria in the semi-finals, but for now, the coach is celebrating the victory.
“I said the game was not going to be easy; it was always going to be tough because of the group they were in and how they qualified – we didn’t expect anything less,” Ellis told Safa.net.
“We dealt well with their long balls, but sometimes we gave the ball away too cheaply. Senegal have improved since we last played them – their coach has done a fantastic job.
“We had been practising penalties and already knew who our kickers were going to be. That’s why we made the changes we did. We always knew Andile could save one or two – she has done it before.
“This is our first penalty shoot-out victory in WAFCON. We lost in 2006 and again in the 2018 final. I don’t have enough words for this team – the resilience, the courage, the never-say-die attitude, and the willingness to fight for each other. No matter what they threw at us, we stood firm.
“We are not thinking about Nigeria yet. We will think about the next match tomorrow. For now, let’s celebrate what we’ve achieved,” the former CAF Women’s Coach of the Year added.
The semi-final clash will renew one of Africa’s fiercest rivalries. Nigeria defeated South Africa on their way to qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics, and both nations remain dominant forces in African football.
The Super Falcons head into Tuesday’s semi-final at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca full of confidence after thrashing Zambia 5-0 in their quarter-final match.
