Paris 2024 Olympics qualifier: Desiree Ellis talks up South Africa readiness for Nigeria visit

By Wale Mustapha

Head Coach of South Africa women’s national team side, Desiree Ellis has emphasized the importance of recording a convincing victory over Nigeria on Tuesday.

Banyana Banyana will need to turn the 1-0 defeat to the Super Falcons around not only with a victory but with wider margin to secure passage to Paris later in the year.

Ellis stated that her side does not require extra motivation to remind them of how important it is to qualify for the Olympics, stressing that everyone in the camp is ready to give it all for the ticket.

“But you don’t need any motivation,” insists Ellis.

“Going to the Olympics is huge so you don’t need motivation to lift yourself. You don’t need motivation to change your mentality.

“But it’s now up to us to take the game to them and make sure that we score and also make sure that we’re settled in defence and we don’t concede. They don’t have to come (and attack), they can sit back but the onus is on us (to attack).

“We’re going back to familiar surroundings and we hope to take the game to them.”

The South Africans are aiming for a third appearance at the event if they beat Nigeria. They will join world champions Spain, Brazil and Japan in Group C in Paris.