Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has voiced concerns about her team’s recovery time ahead of their 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semi-final showdown against Nigeria’s Super Falcons.
South Africa, the defending champions, booked their place in the last four after edging Senegal 4-1 on penalties in a dramatic quarter-final clash on Saturday night. The match ended goalless after 120 minutes of intense play.
Ellis highlighted the physical toll of the match and pointed out that her team will have less time to prepare compared to the Super Falcons, who secured their semi-final spot with a victory over Zambia’s Copper Queens on Friday.
“We are going to prepare, but playing 120 minutes with a day less to recover, plus travel, takes a lot out of the players,” Ellis said in an interview with Sowetan Live.
South Africa will now shift focus to their highly anticipated semi-final clash, aiming to defend their WAFCON title against a well-rested Nigerian side.
