‘We didn’t take our chances’, laments coach Ellis after Banyana’s horrendous draw against Argentina

What a waste.

That's how many South Africans would have felt after cutting short their precious sleeping time on Friday morning to watch (2am, SA time) Banyana Banyana give away a 2-0 lead to draw to 2-2 against Argentina in their second 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup Group G tie in Dunedin, New Zealand.

The waste came in different forms as Banyana missed a few glaring opportunities in both halves in a match they had no business drawing against a South American side who, like Banyana, are yet to register their victory in a World Cup tournament.

Explaining Banyana's late capitulation in Dunedin, coach Desiree Ellis, herself guilty of questionable substitutions during the match, again flatly refused to blame her defence for the defeat but instead lamented the chances the team didn't take.

But what about managing the game while trying to take the chances you create?

The truth is that the Banyana defence was caught at sixes and sevens, not once but twice late in the game (74th and 79th minutes) when it was supposed to shut every angle for the Argentinians. 

“I don't think it is the defence, to be honest. I think the defence held out very well,” a gutted Ellis said after the match in Dunedin.

“It's the chances we create. It's the moments we get into the final third and we make the wrong decisions when we have players running free on goal. If we make better decisions we'll talk differently.”

Star striker Thembi Kgatlana, who laid off a pass for Linda Motlhalo for Banyana to open the score after 30 minutes, must have been a player Ellis didn't mention by name who was most guilty of not passing to better positioned teammates at times when Banyana were in with chances to score. 

Kgatlana was chosen as player-of-the-match after scoring Banyana's second goal in the 66th minute, her second goal in the global showpiece.

Kgatlana scored Banyana's first goal in a World Cup tournament four years ago in France.

“It's about taking our chances, it's about making better decisions in the final third when we're running through. It doesn't matter who scores,” said Ellis.

“It's about putting someone in who is in a better position, who has an opportunity to score.

“That's the problem, we don't take those chances. It comes back to haunt us every time. So you cannot say, like Thembi (Kgatlana) says, it's the defence (which is at fault). Our defence has been magnificent.

“How many chances did we create, how many final third entries did we have that were not completed? That's not in defence where the problem lies."

But the conversation should start with Ellis in the dressing room, where she should be addressing the players about the importance of sharing the ball, especially when they have an opportunity to score.

Banyana no longer have control of qualifying for the last 16 in their hands, as they lost the first match against Sweden 2-1 in Wellington on Sunday.

Ellis' team will complete their Group G matches against Italy in Wellington on Wednesday and only a victory may take them to the last 16. 

“I think both,” was Ellis's response when asked which of the last two results hurt her the most.

“We gave a lot in the Sweden match and, again, better decision making on goal, take your chances. This one (Argentina), I would say it hurts a little bit more because we were in complete control of the game. We just needed to finish off the game and we didn't.

“We lost the ball a lot in certain areas and not pressing as well, especially their first goal. When we cleared the ball there was no one pressing on the ball. When the cross came (for the second goal) no one was picking up. That's criminal.

“You have to pick up, you have to press and you have to make sure. It hurts differently but I think it still hurts... We could have had different scenarios in both matches.”

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