South Africa are riding high after securing a place in the semi-finals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with celebrations taking precedence over preparations for their highly anticipated clash against Nigeria.
Banyana Banyana will lock horns with the Super Falcons on Tuesday, July 22, at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.
The fixture pits the reigning WAFCON champions against the most decorated team on the continent in what promises to be a thrilling showdown.
However, South Africa’s head coach Desiree Ellis is in no rush to dwell on the magnitude of the encounter.
Asked about the challenge of facing Nigeria, Ellis downplayed the significance of the upcoming match, choosing instead to focus on her team’s current achievement.
We’re not thinking about Nigeria right now, we’ll think about the next game tomorrow. Let’s celebrate what we’ve achieved, she stated, exuding calm assurance.
Ellis’s remarks serve as a quiet statement of intent to their next opponents — that South Africa are confident and unfazed by reputations.
The team’s composure under pressure has been evident throughout the tournament, and their latest triumph has only reinforced that belief.
After spending the last 16 days in the city of Oujda, where they played all four of their matches so far, Banyana Banyana are set to move base.
On Sunday, July 20, the squad will travel to Casablanca to begin final preparations for the semi-final bout.
While South Africa basks in their progress, the tension is mounting ahead of a high-stakes fixture.
The match against Nigeria offers not only a route to the final but a chance to assert dominance in African women’s football — a rivalry steeped in history and competitive fire.
Elsewhere in the tournament, hosts Morocco are scheduled to take on Ghana in the other semi-final, setting the stage for a dramatic conclusion to this year’s competition.
With confidence radiating from Ellis’s camp and the weight of expectation building, Tuesday’s semi-final promises to be a defining moment for both nations.
