Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis believes the fighting spirit her team showed against Ivory Coast in Casablanca Friday night could help them earn a spot in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
South Africa scored two late goals to force a 2-2 draw with the Group B leaders.
But Banyana Banyana’s chances of advancing to the next round hang by a thread as they are still bottom of the group with just a single point from two matches.
Ellis realises that Banyana’s chances of advancing to the next round will depend on the result of the other final Group B match between Ivory Coast and Tanzania.
“We said it’s all or nothing. We knew that we really needed to win this game, but it shows the fighting spirit of this team. You know, they never give up. We’re still in it by, I don’t know, a cotton thread, but we’re still in it, but the other results may have to go our way to be able to make sure that we go to the last game, but the fighting spirit of this team you cannot fault.”
What a comeback by Banyana Banyana against Ivory Coast after being down 0-2 at the break, fighting back for a 2-2 draw.
Here’s a bit of the action from the match#BanyanaBanyana#Banyana#ntswembunamanje#WAFCON2026pic.twitter.com/YRkJdHS5Uo
— Sasol Banyana Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) July 31, 2026
Ellis admits her team did not start well against the Ivorians and needs to improve in the next match.
“I don’t think we started really well. We knew that they were going to sit deep; we knew that they were going to close the central spaces, and at times we played right in their hands. If you look at the two goals we conceded, we said they were going to transition from there, but we were not smart at times, and I think showing them in the second half going down the sides because we created that one.”
