By Obaloluwa Joshua, LAGOS
South Africa head coach Desiree Ellis has urged Banyana Banyana to be at their best when they take on Nigeria’s Super Falcons in their crucial 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification play-in, Prompt News Online reports.
Banyana Banyana missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after going down 2-1 to hosts Morocco last Saturday.
The Super Falcons also suffered quarter-final heartbreak, losing 1-0 to the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in a fiercely contested encounter at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Sunday night.
The two African heavyweights will now battle for another opportunity to reach the World Cup when they meet at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Thursday.
Victory will earn the winner a place in the inter-confederation play-offs alongside nine other teams.
The inter-confederation play-offs are scheduled for November and December 2026, with three teams set to secure tickets to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
With a place in the global showpiece still within reach, Ellis has emphasised the need for her players to prepare adequately and make the most of their second chance at qualification.
“We’re not out of it. We didn’t want to go down that route, but it’s been thrown at us,” Ellis was quoted by ESPN.
“We need to get ready for the next game mentally, get ready for it physically, we need to recover quickly.”
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