By Dayo Awoniyi
Desiree Ellis, coach of the defending Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) champions, Banyana Banyana, has expressed astonishment at her team’s exclusion from the list of favorites for this year’s edition in Morocco.
The South African coach questioned why pundits have overlooked her team, instead tipping Nigeria, Zambia, and Morocco as potential winners.
However, Ellis appears to embrace the underdog label, stating it suits her team ahead of the tournament, which is set to begin in Morocco on July 5.
“Even though we are the defending champions, we are not classed as one of the favorites,” Ellis remarked, her tone a mix of surprise and determination.
“We know it’s going to be tough this time, because when you’re the defending champions, you become the one everyone is chasing,” Ellis acknowledged, her eyes gleaming with competitive fire.
Banyana Banyana will begin their title defense with a match against Ghana, and Ellis is already preparing her squad for the challenge.
“Our first game is against Ghana, and we have to make sure we select the right players and cover all our bases,” she said, her voice firm with resolve.
Ellis also drew inspiration from Nigeria’s dominance in the competition, saying, “To be placed in the same bracket as them, you have to earn it.”
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
