Head Coach of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana, Desiree Ellis, has announced her squad of 24 players to take on Nigeria in a crucial final round 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifiers scheduled for next month.
The four-time CAF Woman Africa Coach of the Year has made several changes to the group that ran out against Tanzania in the previous round of the qualifiers.
“I think we’ve got a lot of bases covered. We’ve got different type of players for every eventuality and that’s what this is all about because things could change and we want to be ready when that happens, to be able to combat that and overcome that change, and make sure because the first game is the most important game always. You want to get a positive result, and take the pressure off in the second leg, but make no mistake this is still a quality team, Nigeria has shown it over many years being consistent and we’ve got to be consistent as well,” Ellis told SAFA Media.
“We looked at all eventualities, we looked at formations, we looked at all of those things when we were selecting because if we need to do something different then we have the players to be able to do that something different, but nonetheless it wasn’t easy. This is the biggest game, we weren’t at the Olympics in 2020, they haven’t been since 2008, so we wanted to make sure that we have a really good look, but we also wanted to make sure that we get the combinations and all of those right.”
In a forced change in the goalkeeping department, the African Champions have recalled Regirl Ngobeni of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) after a long absence, taking the place of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ Andile Dlamini who withdrew from the squad due to medical reasons.
The duo of Kaylin Swart (JVW) and Katlego Moletsane (Royal AM) keep their places.
In the rear-guard, Ellis has increased the number of defenders to nine from the previous six against Tanzania, with three key players returning from injury: the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies pair of Tiisetso Makhubela and Bambanani Mbane, as well as Bongeka Gamede who plays in the colours of UWC.
Youngster Asanda Hadebe, who recently made a move to Banyana ba Style from Sunflower WFC in the Sasol League, has been left. Karabo Dlamini & Lebohang Ramalepe (both Sundowns Ladies), Fikile Magama & Lonathemba Mhlongo (both UWC) and the Spain-based Noko Matlou have been retained.
A lot of changes have been implemented in the middle of the park.
Captain Refiloe Jane (Sassuolo – Italy) makes a comeback after a lengthy spell of about six months on the side lines, and is joined by Sibulele Holweni (UWC) and Sinoxolo Cesane (Mazatlán FC Femenil – Mexico). All three were nursing an assortment of injuries. Nonhlanhla Mthandi (Sundowns Ladies) has been recalled.
Left out of the current squad are Lesego Nkoane (TS Galaxy Queens), Sphumelele Shamase – FC Gintra – Lithuania) and Thalea Smidt (club less), while Sundowns Ladies’ Kholosa Biyana is in the medical room.
The trio of Linda Motlhalo (Racing Louisville – USA), Nomvula Kgoale (TS Galaxy Queens) and the UWC’s Amogelang Motau retain their spots.
With plenty of firepower at her disposal, Ellis has made only one change to the forwards, with only Nicole Michael (TS Galaxy Queens) missing out, while the rest of the strikers were retained: Gabriela Salgado (JVW), Hilda Magaia (Mazatlán FC Femenil – Mexico), Jermaine Seoposenwe (FC Monterrey – Mexico), Thembi Kgatlana (UANL Tigres – Mexico), Noxolo Cesane (UWC) and Nthabiseng Majiya (Sundowns Ladies).
“Really excited to have them all back and I think you know they’ve got the experience, they’ve been there, they’ve done it, so we are looking forward to this game when you need your experience. But you also need your youth and your enthusiasm, often you try to mix it like that, but really excited to have them back after such a long while, Ellis told SAFA Media.
“I think in the beginning when we started this campaign against Dr. Congo we were really stretched because we had so many players out injured, we had visa issues, there were players writing exams, and our core group really came through for us. It is important to know that you might not make the 23 or the 24 when we travel, but you are still part of that whole group because at any given time we can call on you. Everybody’s going to take a couple of steps up even more to make sure that we get over the line in these two games.”
Banyana Banyana have completed the South African leg of preparations after a week-long training camp.
They depart for Nigeria in the early hours of Sunday, 31 March 2024 and will have almost a week of preparations where they will be joined by the overseas legion who are expected to arrive in the West African country at different intervals as they are completing their league matches abroad, with the international break commencing on Monday, 1 April.
The first leg will take place at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Friday, 5 April, with the reverse fixture set for Tuesday, 9 April at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
The kick off times are 18h00 and 19h30 respectively.
BANYANA BANYANA SQUAD TO FACE NIGERIA:
GOALKEEPERS:
- Regirl Ngobeni (UWC)
- Kaylin Swart (JVW)
- Katlego Moletsane (Royal AM)
DEFENDERS:
4. Tiisetso Makhubela (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies)
5. Bambanani Mbane (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies)
6. Bongeka Gamede (UWC)
7. Karabo Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies)
8. Lebohang Ramalepe (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies)
9. Fikile Magama (UWC)
10. Lonathemba Mhlongo (UWC)
11. Noko Matlou (SD Eibar – Spain)
MIDFIELDERS:
12. Refiloe Jane (c) (Sassuolo – Italy)
13. Sibulele Holweni (UWC)
14. Sinoxolo Cesane (Mazatlán FC Femenil – Mexico).
15. Nonhlanhla Mthandi (Sundowns Ladies)
16. Linda Motlhalo (Racing Louisville – USA)
17. Nomvula Kgoale (TS Galaxy Queens)
18. Amogelang Motau (UWC)
FORWARDS:
19. Gabriela Salgado (JVW)
20. Hilda Magaia (Mazatlán FC Femenil – Mexico)
21. Jermaine Seoposenwe (FC Monterrey – Mexico)
22. Thembi Kgatlana (UANL Tigres – Mexico)
23. Noxolo Cesane (UWC)
24. Nthabiseng Majiya (Sundowns Ladies)
Nigeria Super Falcons squad vs Banyana Banyana:
GOALKEEPERS:
- Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC)
- Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia)
- Linda Jiwuaku (Bayelsa Queens)
DEFENDERS:
4. Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico)
5. Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies, Saudi Arabia)
6. Shukurat Oladipo (FC Robo Queens)
7. Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA)
8. Nicole Payne (Portland Thorns FC, USA)
9. Chidinma Okeke (Mynavi Sendai Ladies, Japan)
MIDFIELDERS:
10. Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA)
11. Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden)
12. Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal)
13. Jennifer Echegini (Juventus Ladies, Italy)
14. Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain)
15. Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain)
FORWARDS:
16. Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain)
17. Esther Okoronkwo (Changchun FC, China)
18. Ifeoma Onumonu (SLC Utah, USA)
19. Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC, USA)
20. Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA)
21. Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain)
22. Chiwendu Ihezuo (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico)
By Matlhomola Morake
