Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis wary of low-ranked Tanzania in second Wafcon outing

Tanzania headed into this Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) as the lowest ranked of all the 12 participating teams. Nevertheless, reigning African champions Banyana Banyana will not be taking the Twiga Stars lightly when the two teams clash on Friday night. This according to the team’s long-serving coach, Desiree Ellis. 

South Africa began their title defence with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ghana on Monday in Oujda. Banyana Banyana’s experienced players came to the fore as playmaker Linda Motlhalo and star striker Jermaine Seoposenwe scored the winning goals. 

In defence, veteran centre-back Bambanani Mbane was crowned Player of the Match, while goalkeeper Andile Dlamini was active with gloves in hand as the Black Queens fought futilely to break down the South Africans. 

Dull the Twiga Stars

Against Tanzania, Ellis is looking for more of the same from her team, but at a higher and more efficient level.   

“We want to get a win. It will cement our place in the second round, even though the last group game will determine who goes on top. But we’ve seen the matches over the last couple of days and there are no easy games. We’ve played Tanzania before, but that game is out of the window and it means nothing,” Ellis said in her pre-match press briefing. 

Indeed, South Africa and the Twiga Stars faced off in February 2024 during the third round of Olympic Games qualification. Banyana Banyana won that two-legged tie comfortably, walking away with a 4-0 aggregate victory.

With Tanzania losing their opening game to Mali earlier in the week, the East Africans are cognisant that a defeat to South Africa would end their hopes of qualifying for the knockout round — something Ellis says makes them extra dangerous.          

“We know that they need to win to stay in the competition. So, we need to make sure that we don’t concede and take the opportunities we create. We had a couple of chances against Ghana that could have sealed the game, then they hit the crossbar after that,” Ellis stated.

“But it was our first game, and the first games are always tough. There are a lot of things that sometimes don’t go right, because everyone wants to win that first game. There’s still a lot of room for improvement, but we’re happy that we kept a clean sheet,” the Banyana coach said.

Even though the Twiga Stars are not as physically imposing as some of the teams at Wafcon — such as Nigeria — Ellis says they are still stronger than her team. As such, it will be important for Banyana Banyana to not find themselves in physical duels with their opponents.   

“They still have the physicality on their side, and we are used to playing against teams that are physically stronger than us. We just have to stick to our strengths — moving the ball around, our movement off the ball and our pace… That is what we are good at,” Ellis told journalists. 

Former skipper backs Banyana

With some of the distracting off-field issues that Banyana Banyana faced prior to starting their title defence, there were questions of how they would perform in their opening match against Ghana. However, the team showed focus and determination. 

Former Banyana Banyana midfielder and captain Amanda Dlamini believes the side has put these issues behind them, for now, to focus on the job at hand.   

“We’re deliberately stifling the growth of women’s football while boys’ youth programmes and senior competitions keep getting the mileage and recognition. It does feel like women’s football is on its own,” Dlamini told Showmax Premier League.

“It’s not easy playing with a target on your back. They still have the same group of players, but it’s about how badly they want it. It will be a first-time experience for them to feel the pressure of defending a title, and that too demands a different approach, attitude and drive,” the 36-year-old said. 

Dlamini also lauded Ellis’s tactical acumen. The retired midfielder believes the versatility of the team will be crucial in the tournament. Ellis has also highlighted this being vital for a successful title defence.          

“She’s found a good way to balance her strong defence with dynamic and intelligent playmakers. We’ve noticed during her preparation games that she tried to use players who are versatile enough in different positions. It could be an element of surprise, but I’m sure it will contribute to the team’s tactical flexibility,” Dlamini stated. 

The Twiga Stars are likely to sit back and attempt to catch Banyana Banyana on counterattacks. This means breaking down their defence will be difficult. This tactical flexibility will be crucial during those moments of frustration for South Africa. DM 

Banyana Banyana versus Tanzania is scheduled for a 9pm kickoff on Friday, 11 July 2025.