Ellis hails Banyana's grit after shootout triumph

BANYANA Banyana coach Desiree Ellis cut a calm but proud figure on Saturday night after guiding her team to the semifinals of the CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following a 4-1 penalty shootout win over Senegal.

- SMISO MSOMI

It was a tense evening at the Hon-neur Stadium in Oujda, where the defending champions were made to work hard for their place in the final four. After a goalless 120 minutes of football, South Africa held their nerve in the shootout ~ and Ellis was full of praise for how her side managed the pressure.

"I said the game was not going to be easy," she reflected after the match.

"I said it was going to be a difficult game because of the group they were in and how they got out - and we didn't expect anything less."

Banyana struggled to find their rhythm early on, something the coach acknowledged.