Banyana following trusted blueprint to glory – Ellis

BANYANA Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis believes the defending champions are once again walking a familiar path towards potential Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) success — one built on calculated changes, squad trust, and tournament experience.

- SMISO MSOMI

Speaking after her side’s emphatic 4-0 dismantling of Mali, Ellis explained how the current campaign mirrors their title-winning 2022 run — particularly in the way the squad has been managed.

“After the first win against Ghana, we did the same thing we did in 2022 after beating Nigeria — we made changes for the next game,” she said.

“We didn’t play well but got the results, and that’s what we’re doing in this tournament as well. It’s about keeping the players fresh.”

Ellis made several halftime changes against Mali in Monday’s final Group C clash, a match Banyana only needed to draw to top the table but approached with ruthless intent.

“At halftime we made a lot of changes today as well because of the freshness and making sure that we trust the other players we brought along,” Ellis said.