South Africa’s Banyana Banyana suffered a 1-0 defeat against Nigeria’s Super Falcons in the first leg of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games final qualifiers.
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However, head coach Desiree Ellis remains hopeful, stating that her team also deserved a penalty in the match.
The lone goal of the match came from a penalty spot kick by Rasheedat Ajibade of the Super Falcons. Despite the setback, Ellis praised her team’s efforts and insisted that the game was far from over.
“We said it was going to be a tight game, but we are hopeful of overturning this result in the second leg,” Ellis stated. She emphasized that her team was still in the game, having created several chances during the match.
Ellis noted that the second half saw a significant improvement in her team’s performance, with the creation of good chances that could have led to an equalizer. “Maybe we could also have gotten a penalty at the end when Jermaine was fouled,” she added.
Expressing pride in her team, Ellis said, “We will take it back to Pretoria.” The second leg of the match will be played in South Africa on Tuesday.
Despite the defeat, the spirit of Banyana Banyana remains undeterred. With Ellis’s leadership and the team’s determination, they aim to turn the tables in the upcoming match and keep their Olympic dreams alive.
