Banyana Banyana’s build-up to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup continues in full swing with another exciting friendly against Team Australia next month in London for the African champions under coach Desiree Ellis.
Ellis’s troops will face Australia straight after Banyana’s recent assignment against the Brazilian women’s team in two friendly internationals in Johannesburg and Durban.
Brazil thrashed Banyana 3-0, 6-0 to give the team a taste of the high caliber of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) champions at the World Cup, which is set to be co-hosted in Australia and New Zealand.
Ellis is looking forward to the next friendly as the head coach has been promised high-level matches to help Banyana prepare for the world tournament.
The Banyana teacher has thanked the South African Football Association (Safa) for organizing the match against Australia and says the team is looking forward to the game.
“This is very exciting news and another opportunity to play against a better nation.
Australia is co-hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with New Zealand. Coming so soon after the game against Brazil, it gives us a chance to correct our mistakes and to test and challenge us.
“It’s another opportunity to improve performance and raise the players’ hands,” Ellis told Safa.net.
“We are very happy. We say thank you to Safa and Sasol. They said they would give us opponents to prepare for the World Cup and what a start to our preparations. We are really looking forward to this fantastic game.”
It will be the first ever meeting between the South African women and the Australians, who are ranked 12th in the FIFA women’s world rankings.
After a heavy defeat against Brazil, the Banyans will now have a chance to redeem themselves.
