Ellis demands early authority as Banyana Banyana begin 2028 Olympic qualifying campaign

Banyana Banyana manager Desiree Ellis has called on her side to establish control from the opening whistle when they face Madagascar in the first leg of their 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games qualifier on Friday.

The match will be played at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, despite Madagascar being designated as the home team. The fixture was moved to South Africa because the island nation does not have a suitable venue.

Madagascar have also requested that Friday’s game take place behind closed doors, meaning the 2022 African Champions will play in front of no spectators. The return leg will be held at the same stadium next Tuesday.

Ellis said South Africa’s higher ranking and previous victories over Madagascar in 2018 and 2019 would have no bearing on the tie.

“We are a team that never underestimates any opponent. The rankings don’t mean anything. It’s 11 versus 11, and if you don’t take the game seriously, before you know it, you’re chasing the game,” she said.

“From the first whistle, we’ve got to stamp our authority. We’ve got to show why we are Banyana and who we are, and make sure that we take the game away from them completely.”

South Africa have not featured at the Olympic Games since the 2016 edition in Rio, having failed to qualify for the past two tournaments.

Ellis believes a positive first-leg result would reduce the pressure before Tuesday’s second encounter while also helping the team prepare for November’s Fifa Women’s World Cup play-offs.

“It’s not just about this game, it’s also about the game in November. We are using it two-fold because you have very little time to prepare,” she said.

“We’ll be working on ourselves as well … keeping a clean sheet is really important because we know we’re going to create opportunities, and when we create those opportunities, we’ve got to make sure that we put the ball in the back of the net.”

Several of South Africa’s overseas-based players have joined the squad, including Thembi Kgatlana of Mexico, Linda Motlhalo of Scotland, Bongeka Gamede of Denmark and Hildah Magaia of Saudi Arabia. Amogelang Motau, who plays in Mexico, arrived on Wednesday.

Experienced defender Bambanani Mbane is unavailable after returning home to continue her rehabilitation from injury.

The squad also includes recalled players in strong form and less experienced members, with Siyamthanda Qashani earning a call-up after impressive performances for TUT.

“We’ve always been a team that has refreshed the squad and brought in newer, younger players. It’s not about age,” Ellis said.

“Where we’re going, we need to find the right balance and the right mix between youth and experience because it’s not going to be a walk in the park. The dream is still alive, and we’ve shown that we can come back from adversity time and time again.”

Friday’s match kicks off at 3pm and will not be open to the public. Ellis has urged supporters in Bloemfontein to attend the second leg and create a strong home atmosphere.

“We’re hoping that for the second game, the fans come out and fill up the stadium to show Madagascar what they missed,” she said.