Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has praised the hunger and determination of her players following South Africa’s 2-1 victory over Nigeria in their 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification play-off in Casablanca.
South Africa entered the encounter knowing defeat would end their World Cup ambitions after they had already suffered a 2-1 quarter-final loss to hosts Morocco at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria were in an identical situation following their 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon, setting up a high-stakes meeting between two of African women’s football’s traditional heavyweights.
Ellis said the prospect of facing the Super Falcons provided enough motivation for her players to raise their level when it mattered.
Nigeria and South Africa arrived at the tournament as the winners of the previous two WAFCON editions, further increasing the significance of their meeting. Ellis led Banyana Banyana to their maiden continental title in 2022, while Nigeria entered the 2026 tournament as defending champions.
South Africa ultimately prevailed through second-half goals from Thembi Kgatlana and Refiloe Jane, before Christy Ucheibe converted a late penalty for Nigeria.
Ellis admitted her side did not execute everything perfectly during the opening period, with South Africa enjoying possession without creating enough danger. However, tactical adjustments after the interval helped Banyana become more threatening.
The South African coach praised her players for responding to the pressure of the occasion and keeping their World Cup ambitions alive.
“The dream is still alive.”
South Africa’s victory means they advance to the next stage of the qualification play-offs, while Nigeria will miss the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history.
Banyana Banyana must still successfully navigate the FIFA inter-confederation play-off tournament to secure their place at Brazil 2027, meaning their World Cup qualification has not yet been completed.
