When you play in the World Cup, you want to go back – SA women’s football coach Ellis

SA coach Ellis seeking World Cup return

JOHANNESBURG, May 12 (ANA) – Having competed in their first-ever women’s soccer World Cup in 2019, South Africa will be yearning to play at the highest stage once more according to their coach Desiree Ellis.

In the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (Awcon), Banyana Banyana – as the SA women’s football team are known – lost in the final to Nigeria on penalties, after the teams were locked 0-0 after regulation time. Making it to the final, however, earned their qualification to the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

Following the draw for the 2022 Awcon qualifiers which were held on Monday, Banyana will face Mozambique over two legs in mid-June in the first round, with the second round set for October.

“When you play once in the World Cup, you will surely want to go back again. But this is just the first game, and we won’t look too far,” said Ellis.

“We need to get a positive result out in that game to go to the next round.”

Overcoming Mozambique will not be easy explained Ellis.

“We have two matches, and if you don’t take teams seriously, you could end up losing. So, we will obviously do our best. We played against Mozambique in Cosafa Cup a couple of months ago. They improved and we will have to be better, and give our best to get a good result.”

“Mozambique are a very physical side and they also move the ball around quite well. I think we have to be in a super physical condition.We respect them and will do everything to win as our target is to go to the World Cup once again. It starts here.

Ellis also said she hoped to secure international friendly matches ahead of the qualifiers as part of Banyana’s preparation. – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman