Desiree Ellis' Banyana Banyana are gearing up for the fight of their lives Tuesday evening against Nigeria as they aim to book a ticket to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.
Captain Refiloe Jane alongside her Banyana teammates will need no extra motivation when they are confronted by the Super Falcons at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, knowing full well what’s at stake.
Nigeria and South Africa’s rivalry is not only limited to popular and budding music genre, amapiano, or the feud between Bafana Bafana and the Super Eagles – the ladies senior national teams also have battles of their own.
The African giants will renew their rivalry in the grandest fashion as Ellis’ side and Randy Waldrum’s team will duel for a place at this year’s Paris Olympics.
South Africa need to overturn a 1-0 deficit after Atletico Madrid striker Rasheedat Ajibade’s penalty in the first leg gave the Super Falcons the lead at the Rasheedat Ajibade last week Friday.
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Ellis insisted that her team would leave no stone unturned in their attempt to reach the global spectacle.
“We always knew that it was a two-legged affair and we wanted to get a positive result in Nigeria and that did not happen, but I think we played better in the second half.
“We all know that it is a big match and the winner over those two legs goes to the Olympics, so we want to be on that plane. It is a game where we have to put everything into it,” said Ellis.
“There are no second chances, we have to try and get the goal as early as possible because we know that we are playing against a team that is leading 1-0 and we have to be ready for every eventuality in the way we think they might play. It is a do-or-die match, we just have to go for it.
“It is going to be a game where we leave everything on the pitch and we want to make sure that we want to get the results.
“We have shown that we can score goals at home but we are going up against a formidable opponent who has been there and done that, so we have to throw some caution in the wind but still go for it,” Ellis added.
Noxolo Cesane’s return
The influential midfielder was not part of Banyana’s traveling contingent that succumbed in Abuja and her availability provides Ellis with more options in the rear guard.
“She had a problem with her visa but we have her back for the second leg. She can produce some goals and it is goals that we need.
“We will have a look after the last training session and decide on the starting line-up It is going to be a game where there is no room for error, we will throw everything at them,” Ellis explained.
Meanhwile, Nigeria’s mentor, Waldrum, has no intentions to reinforce her defence as she does not want to run the risk of allowing Banyana to take full advantage of their home ground comforts.
“As for what I feel about the second-leg, there is no difference if we would have won by two goals instead of one. I still feel like we have to go and get a result there. We don’t want to go and sit back and try to defend and hold on to this victory.
“I think we still want to show that we are the best team in Africa and we are the better team. I thought we showed that tonight, and we’ll show it again,” Waldrum told Nigerian publication Soccernet.
The match is set to kick off at 19:30 in the capital city where Banyana will have to halt the Super Falcons’ 14-game unbeaten run if they are to book a ticket to Paris.
South Africa and Nigeria have exchanged blows in the past, with the West Africans claiming four wins in the last 10 meetings against Banyana’s three victories.
🎟️ Tickets still available and will be on sale at Loftus Stadium from 12h00 until kick off (19h30) on Tuesday 9 April 2024.
— Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) April 9, 2024
‼️Students who produce their student cards at the gates will be able to enter the stadium for free until 19h00
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