Desiree Ellis looks forward to test in Japan

This comes after she announced a 23-player squad for back-to-back away friendlies against Japan on 6 and 9 June in Osaka.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Ellis says the matches will help the technical team assess how close the squad is to achieving its objectives ahead of this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

"We are under no illusions on how difficult it's going to be. Going into any game you obviously want to win it but you are under no illusions about who you're facing, number 5 in the world, but we want to put up a good performance. I think a good performance brings the result.

"We want to make sure that we can compete and not just to go there and play, but to compete because we've shown ourselves at the world level. We played them before in 2019 and we lost that international friendly 2-0, and we also played against them behind closed doors. They've obviously improved as a team, we have improved and we really want to see where we're at."

READ: Desiree Ellis announces Banyana Banyana squad to take on Japan

Banyana welcomes the return of key striker Thembi Kgatlana, who missed the recent Algeria camp due to injury. However, defender Lebohang Ramalepe is unavailable because of exam commitments, while Amogelang Motau, Hilda Magaia and Shakira O’Malley also miss out due to injuries.

The 63-year-old coach says the fixtures will also allow the team to evaluate how they respond against the three-time Asian champions, who are currently ranked fifth in the world. She added that Japan’s style of play will provide a strong challenge, with both teams being possession-based. 

Ellis also believes the trip will help the squad adapt to warmer weather conditions ahead of WAFCON in Morocco, where similar conditions are expected.