Donnelly’s hat-trick puts Banyana Banyana on brink of Olympic qualifier progress

Ronnel Donnelly strengthened her claim to become one of Banyana Banyana’s next leaders by scoring her first international hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Madagascar in the first leg of the second round of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic qualifiers.

The Mamelodi Sundowns forward struck at Toyota Stadium on Friday afternoon, giving South Africa a commanding advantage before Tuesday night’s return fixture against the islanders at the same venue. Toyota Stadium will now serve as Banyana Banyana’s home ground.

The result leaves Desiree Ellis’ side well placed to reach the third round early next year as they attempt to return to the Olympic Games after missing out on both Tokyo and Paris.

Donnelly joined the squad before WAFCON 2025 and was identified as a potential successor to role model Jermaine Seoposenwe. Her progress was slowed by injuries and a gradual introduction to the national-team setup, but her display against Madagascar offered a clear indication of her growing influence.

“I feel good,” Donnelly told SAFA media after the match. “There were nerves at first, but after my first goal, I gained some confidence. I am happy and excited.”

Ellis’ selection also reflected her plans to combine established players with younger members of the squad. Donnelly was chosen ahead of star forward Thembi Kgatlana, while Zoe October and Siyamthanda Qashani came on as substitutes in the City of Roses.

Captain Linda Motlhalo welcomed the opportunity for the newcomers to contribute, although she felt the hosts could have made greater use of their dominance in possession.

“This is what we want a blend of senior and new players so the new players can showcase what they are capable of,” Motlhalo said. “It’s good to see them getting minutes; they can go far.”

She added: “It was a good job from the ladies, but we hold ourselves to higher standards. In terms of how we play, there’s still work to be done.

“We are just happy that we got the win we needed.”

Despite fielding a largely makeshift team, Banyana Banyana were clinical when opportunities arose inside the penalty area, with Donnelly providing the decisive finishing. The team will now look to maintain that momentum and continue their improvement in the second leg.

Donnelly said the players had prepared carefully for the contest and had been determined not to underestimate their opponents.

“We obviously didn’t want to underestimate them, but we practised hard, stayed focused, and played as a unit,” she said. “I think that helped us because all the goals came from combination play. It was definitely a good start.”