Ellis explains why Banyana need to and will get better against Zambia

Banyana Banyana “have to be better” to win the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), Desiree Ellis has admitted, though the coach also sees factors she believes will result in an improvement in Monday's semifinal against Zambia.

SA meet Zambia at Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca, Morocco.

After their rousing start with their 2-1 opening Group C win against 11-time champions Nigeria, Banyana have been less convincing, but still negotiated two more round-robin stage wins and Thursday's 1-0 quarterfinal victory against Tunisia with fight and professionalism.

Ellis is aware that to reach the final, where they are most likely going to have to beat a Nigeria who have improved through the tournament for a second time, Banyana need to recapture some of their opening-match fluency and put to bed their achilles heel of missing chances.

She said with the pressure of reaching the 2023 World Cup — the four semi-finalists qualify — off SA's back, and a Covid-19 outbreak reaching some form of conclusion, Banyana can concentrate all their energies on the pressure of the Wafcon.

“In the Tunisia game, I think with the pressure of qualifying for the World Cup, when we took the early lead we had played really well up to that moment and even in the whole of the first half we played well,” Ellis said.

“But it's almost like we stopped playing. In the second half the pressure is a lot from the awareness [that] if we don't win this game we are out of the competition and have to go the longer route of qualifying for the World Cup [via an inter-confederation playoff].

“In 2014 we were in a similar position where we lost in the semifinals and had to play in the playoffs, and it [qualification] didn't happen. And we wanted to make sure.

“But I must commend the players. Even though it was really frantic and hectic out there they really fought for each other, really made sure we didn't concede.

“But we had so many opportunities and could have sealed the game a lot earlier. As a coach you're really unhappy when you don't create chances, but we've got to be better.

“I think the pressure of qualifying is now off our backs. Obviously the semifinal is another pressure game, and we look forward to that.”

SA have lost their last two games against Zambia, on penalties in the Cosafa Cup in September last year and 3-0 in a friendly in February that served as preparation to SA’s qualifying win over two legs against Algeria that saw them through to the Wafcon.

“Zambia have shown the quality, they have shown the resilience with them also facing a lot of adversity. And their players have really come through,” Ellis said.

“So it's not going to be an easy game. Our last two matches against Zambia didn't go well. But we are better than that.

“Especially in the game in February — we weren't ready physically, clubs had only been in preseason for two weeks, but we needed something to get ready for the Algeria game.

“The teams know a lot about each other. We have to be clinical to get the result.”

Zambia topped group B with a draw against Cameroon and wins against Tunisia and Togo. They beat Senegal on penalties in the quarterfinals.

Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinals

Monday (SA times):

Zambia v SA (Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, 7pm)

Morocco v Nigeria (Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, Rabat, 10pm)

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.