Banyana Banyana Coach Disari Ellis Stresses Importance of Adaptability Ahead of Morocco Match at Wafcon

The coach of the Banyana Banyana team, Disari Ellis, insists that her team still has grounds to hope for a spot in the quarter-finals of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, despite a difficult final stage following a dramatic 2-2 draw against Côte d'Ivoire.

The South African national team demonstrated immense character by managing to recover from a two-goal deficit. Captain Thami Kgatlana sparked the comeback with an impressive strike, and in the second half, substitute Hilda Magaia scored a dramatic late goal, which allowed them to salvage a crucial point.

This result placed Banyana at the bottom of Group B with one point after two games, trailing the leaders Côte d'Ivoire (four points), while Tanzania and Burkina Faso both have three points.

This means that Ellis's team needs to beat Burkina Faso in the last group match to have any chance of advancing to the playoffs. Furthermore, even a victory might not be enough, as Banyana's fate will also depend on the outcome of the match between Côte d'Ivoire and Tanzania, since the result is no longer entirely in South Africa's hands.

Banyana Banyana managed a 2-2 draw with Côte d'Ivoire in Casablanca. The mission continues, as their next opponent is Burkina Faso. Despite the difficult situation, Ellis is convinced that her players are capable of keeping the tournament alive.

After the match, Ellis stated: 'We are still in the game.' She added: 'All we can do is try to do our job, win the match, and score goals, because that is all we can control, and other results are out of our hands, but if we do that, we give ourselves a chance.'

Since all teams can qualify before the final round of matches, Ellis expects another tense day in Group B. She emphasized: 'We are still in the game, but when I look at the group, now for everyone in the group it is a match that must be won, so all we can do is win and wait for the final result in the match between Tanzania and Côte d'Ivoire.'

Although the coach was pleased with the resilience shown after the break, Ellis acknowledged that the team cannot afford another sluggish start if they want to overcome Burkina Faso. Banyana twice fell into the trap of Côte d'Ivoire's pace in the first half, when Grace Seri scored twice, giving the 'Lady Elephants' a significant lead before Kgatlana and Magaia inspired South Africa's fight.

Ellis noted: 'This team has shown courage and resilience, and it is not just in this game; even against Tanzania we created chances at the end and almost scored. Today we were unlucky at the end too.'

In Ellis's opinion, the plan for success was clear in the second half, when Banyana played with greater focus and determination. She believes that 'the way we played in the second half, that is how we should start the game; from the very beginning we must go all out, because that is what will be needed to get a result in the next game.'

Having kept hopes alive for WAFCON through an energetic comeback, Banyana now faces 90 minutes that could decide their tournament. A victory over Burkina Faso is critical, however, their chances of reaching the quarter-finals will ultimately depend on whether Côte d'Ivoire can deny Tanzania a result in another decisive group match.

The South African team Banyana Banyana is preparing for an important match against Côte d'Ivoire in the second round of Group B of the WAFCON 2026 tournament, which will take place in Morocco on Friday. Gaining points in this encounter is critically important for maintaining qualification chances.

Context and current group standing

The South African national team enters the game under pressure following an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Tanzania in the first match. This result demands an immediate reaction from the team. Currently, Banyana occupies third place in Group B, ahead of Burkina Faso, which is in last place after a 4-1 loss to Côte d'Ivoire in the first round.

Tactical objectives for the team

Despite the tight standings, every point holds immense value for progression. For the team, Diseri Ellis' priority will be correcting the mistakes shown in the debut match. The biggest concern is attacking efficiency: Banyana created enough chances against Tanzania, but lacked the composure to convert them.

Against Côte d'Ivoire, which demonstrated attacking potential by scoring four goals in the first match, South Africa cannot afford to miss clear opportunities. It is necessary to improve the interaction and combination play between Tembi Kgatlana, Hilda Magai, and the midfield. The team requires greater stability in creating quality goal-scoring chances, not just reliance on individual skill.

Defensive and midfield zones

In defense, South Africa also needs to increase discipline upon losing possession. Tanzania exploited spaces during transitions, and Côte d'Ivoire's confident attacking play means such shortcomings could lead to serious losses. The balance between advancing players forward and maintaining defensive coverage will be a key tactical task for Ellis. The battle in the midfield may also be a decisive factor.

Significance of the upcoming match

Banyana must achieve greater ball control while simultaneously preventing Côte d'Ivoire from dictating the pace of the game. Experience remains one of South Africa's main strengths, and players like Kgatlana, Magai, and captain Refilow Jane are expected to lead at this critical moment of the tournament. As one of Africa's most stable women's football nations, Banyana intends to show that the first defeat was merely a temporary setback.

Although Côte d'Ivoire presents a tougher challenge, the Friday match gives South Africa a chance to make a statement and restore confidence in the squad. A win would allow Banyana to return to a strong position in Group B, whereas another loss would put the team in a difficult final match scenario for the group stage. Since they still have to play Burkina Faso in the last round of the group, the team knows that qualification remains in their hands, but a positive result against Côte d'Ivoire makes this meeting possibly the most important in the group stage.

The head coach of the Banyana Banyana team, Disari Ellis, expresses confidence that her national team is capable of recovering and qualifying for the FIFA Women's World Cup, despite an unexpected 2-1 defeat to Tanzania in the first match of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) group stage.

First Match and Current Situation

On Monday in Casablanca, Tanzania secured its first victory at WAFCON, leaving Banyana with no room for error ahead of Friday's match against Côte d'Ivoire. During the game in Casablanca, South Africa held second place for a long time.

The loss means that Ellis's team has to catch up with the group leaders, as only the top four teams in the tournament guarantee themselves a spot in next year's FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Despite the disappointment with the result and the performance, Ellis emphasized that attention has already shifted to the next meeting.

Strategy and Challenges

Ellis stated: 'I think everyone is disappointed with the result and the game, but we must look forward because we are still in the game.' She added that the team is still aiming for the World Cup and believes the next match is a must-win. South Africa will face Côte d'Ivoire, which is showing high confidence after a convincing 4-1 victory over Burkina Faso, rising to first place in Group B.

The coach expects a serious test from one of West Africa's traditional heavyweights. Ellis noted: 'Obviously, we talked about how important this match [against Tanzania] was. Now we are chasing in the group, so it is up to us to raise our standards and show who we really are.' She also warned about the difficulty of the opponent: 'Côte d'Ivoire will be another big challenge... another physical West African team.'

Positive Aspects and Mistakes

Despite the unsuccessful performance against Tanzania, Ellis sees encouraging signs that can be utilized before the decisive match on Friday. Banyana improved their play after the break and created enough chances, indicating their ability to change the course of the campaign.

'The positive aspects we can take from the game against Tanzania are that we created chances,' she said. She also suggested: 'I thought we played better with the ball in the second half, but we know how well we can play with the ball.'

The experienced coach admitted that defensive shortcomings ultimately proved critical, as Tanzania capitalized on South Africa's uncharacteristic errors. 'There are some weak points in defense that we can still tighten up, because we could have played better on both goals conceded.'

Team Goals for the Future

Now Ellis hopes that her experienced squad will respond to this setback as was characteristic of most of her coaching tenure. A victory over Côte d'Ivoire will not only revive Banyana's hopes of reaching the playoffs but also put the team back on track to achieve its main goal—qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup. However, any other outcome will jeopardize South Africa's campaign before the final match of Group B.