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South Africa’s coach, Desiree Ellis anticipates difficult Nigeria opener

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South Africa head coach Desiree Ellis is anticipating a difficult group stage contest when her side square off against Nigeria in the 2022  Women’s Africa Cup of Nations opening encounter in Rabat later in July.

The seven-time COSAFA Champions were drawn against the nine-time African champions in the group stage for the fifth time at the draw held in Rabat on Friday, with first time qualifiers Burundi and Botswana joining them in Group C.

In 2018, Banyana Banyana met Nigeria in the group stage, breaking their four-game winless group stage jinx with a 1-0 triumph in Cape Coast but later lost 4-3 on penalties to the West Africans in the final following a 0-0 draw in Accra.

Although, the South Africans revenged their 2018 title loss at the Aisha Buhari Cup, where they defeated the Super Falcons 4-2 to lift the crown, Ellis insists the upcoming group stage meeting will be a ‘very difficult game’.

“Well we always knew the draw was not going to be easy. Nigeria, the defending champions and multiple winners always bring their A game and know what it takes to win,” Ellis told CAFOnline.com.

“We have played them a few times in the group stages. They have raised their levels and we have to raise our levels even higher to get a positive result. The first game is the most important game and once again we need a positive result but it will take a huge effort.

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“Anything that has come before is history but it has shown us what we are capable of and has given us confidence and belief. As I said earlier we have played them many times in the group stages and this will be no different especially with this being an opening group match which is similar to 2018.

“We will need a huge effort to get a positive result. The first game is the most important of any tournament and getting a positive result is very important but we know that it’s not going to be an easy game. Actually, it’s going to be a very difficult game.”

Besides Nigeria, the four-time WAFCON finalists will also battle debutants and COSAFA rivals Botswana, who ruined their Tokyo 2020 dream but Ellis insists her side will not be seeking any revenge against the Mares.

“Botswana from our COSAFA region and another debutants who we know a lot about, having played each other so many times,” the two-time CAF Women’s Coach of the Year remarked.

“We have not lost to them in 90 minutes in 10 meetings but we must not forget the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Qualifier where we failed to score in both matches and lost on a penalty shootout.

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“We have already played them a few times after they cut short our quest to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and have gotten good results. It’s never about revenge as it’s a totally different competition and game.

“It’s just about the next game and or next competition. We know a lot of each other and the games have been very tight and I expect this one to be no different.”

On Burundi, the former South Africa international admitted knowledge of the East Africans and has stated that she is looking forward to a good first ever tie.

“Burundi are one of the debutants but they not here by chance. We have not played them before but have seen them during the qualifiers and will have an opportunity during the tournament to see more of them as well,” she noted.

In April, South Africa started their preparations with a high-profile friendly reigning European champions the Netherlands at The Hague, where they were thrashed 5-1 but Ellis took away some positive lessons from the humiliation.

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“It was important that we test ourselves both mentally and physically and more so when our Hollywood Bets Super league had not started yet,” she revealed.

“We were duly tested and at this level the small margins matters. We could have been on equal times but we missed a penalty and a one-on-one chance almost immediately after that. It showed during the game there we were just not there yet but we improved in the second half.

“It was expected that we would be tire later in the game. There is nothing that beats match fitness and it was evident in certain moments but we will get better with players getting more and more game time.”

In 2018, Ellis was named the substantive head coach guiding Banyana Banyana to their fourth WAFCON final and the Women’s World Cup for the first time.

This time, the 59-year-old tactician will set her sights on breaking the African title jinx and also guarantee a second consecutive Women’s World Cup berth.

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“I have been there as a player and now as a coach and every time it’s very special. Confidence and belief are very important for us to reach our objectives,” she admitted.

“This is what we as group worked towards and we are one of 12 out of a record of 44 entries and we are truly blessed to have qualified again.

“We have to bring our best to every game and if we don’t, then we won’t get the results and could be on your way home.

“Get a good start and take it game by game as you don’t want to lose focus of the task at hand. Our main target is to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.”

South Africa will begin title bid against Nigeria on July 4 at Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat and take on Burundi three days later. They will go on end their group phase against COSAFA rivals Botswana on July 10.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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TP Mazembe reign as Queens of African women’s club football

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Democratic Republic of Congo side, TP Mazembe are officially the champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League Morocco 2024.

A highly tactical and hard fought 1-0 victory in the final played in El Jadida’s Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi against former champions and hosts, AS FAR saw the DR Congo side crowned the new champions of Africa for the first time – wiping away tears of their 2022 group stage exit. 

With the crowd backing the hosts, Mazembe showed great resilience and courage in taking the match to the former champions who remain in search for what has been an elusive second title for them.

The deciding goal of the fourth edition of the tournament came courtesy of a converted spot kick by Marlene Kasaj in the opening 10 minutes, which Mazembe protected throughout the match to seal the historic victory.  

Despite the early concession, AS FAR kept believing and surged forward in search of the leveller, but a resolute Mazembe defense kept the clean sheet throughout the opening half. 

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Coming back from the break, it was surprisingly Mazembe who looked more dangerous as they came out strong in an attempt to kill off the game. 

The hosts eventually found their rhythm but again were met by a disciplined Mazembe defense, who kept the former champions at bay to secure Africa’s most sought-after women’s club football crown.

In addition to the coveted CAF Women’s Champions League trophy, TP Mazembe also take home $600 000 in prize money, while runners-up AS FAR take home $400 000.

-CAF

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WAFCON draw is a fair one for Super Falcons, says football supporters’ boss Ikpea

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BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU

The National Chairman of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) Samuel Ikpea has tipped the Super Falcons of Nigeria to claim their 10th African Women’s Cup of Nations title in Morocco when they begin their campaign next year.

Ikpea’  remarks came after the Friday night draw that put Algeria, Tunisia and Botswana in the same group with the Super Falcons.

“Our girls are going to play in a group with two North African countries (Tunisia and Algeria). “It is going to be interesting, and I am optimistic that our girls will scale from our group”.

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Super Falcons to face Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana at Women’s Africa Cup of Nations

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Super Falcons set to face Algeria again

Nigeria will tackle two North African teams – Tunisia and Algeria – as well as Botswana, in Group B of the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in Morocco next summer. 

The Falcons will surely relish another meeting with Algeria’s Green Ladies, whom they defeated 2-0 and 4-1 respectively in two friendly matches in Nigeria last month. 

Botswana eliminated Gabon in the qualifying series and Tunisia were the quarter-finalists at the last edition also hosted by Morocco. 

At the draw conducted on Friday evening at the Technical Centre of the Mohamed VI Football Complex in Sale, outside Rabat, host nation Morocco, earlier slotted into Group A, learnt they will have to cope with Zambia, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Cup holders South Africa are in Group C and will square up to Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in the three-week, 12-nation final tournament taking place 5th – 26th July 2025. 

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Hosts Morocco finished as runners-up in the last edition in July 2022, with Zambia taking the bronze after a 1-0 defeat of Nigeria in the third-place match.

GROUP A: Morocco, Zambia, Senegal, DR Congo

GROUP B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana

GROUP C: South Africa, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania

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