Desiree Ellis impressed by Banyana Banyana quality in WAFCON clash against Mali

This was after the South Africans secured a dominant 4-0 win at Honneur Stadium. South Africa got off to a flyer when player of the match Lebogang Ramalepe scored the first goal in just five minutes.

Speaking at the post-match presser, Ellis admits that the team started slow in their two previous matches and adds that they were intentional about rectifying their mistakes.

"The players worked tirelessly and consistently in the lead up to the Mali game. We worked on a few aspects of our game, and tonight we showed our quality," said Ellis with a smile. 

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Banyana Banyana striker Ronnel Donnelly registered her first WAFCON goal to help seal the three points for the defending champions. Ellis praised her for producing a stellar performance off the bench.

"I'm very pleased for Ronnel Donnelly, a debut goal is always special, and she got to experience it.

"We've been working on certain things with her in training, so we're glad to see that reflected in this match.

"Overall, it was a sound team performance, from the players to the technical staff," Ellis pointed out. 

Ellis further explained the reason behind many of the rotations in her starting line-ups, stating that it is all about trying to keep players fresh whilst giving others some game time.

"We're doing the same thing as we did in 2022, which is to refresh the team after every match."

Ellis adds that she is glad her players managed to create and finish chances to win by a large margin, and hopes they keep the same form going into the knockout stage.