The Super Faalcons of Nigeria were defeated by South Africa yesterday and the coach of Banyana Banyana Desiree Ellis has recounted how her team ensured they picked up a win over the Super Falcons of Nigeria in their opening Group C match of the CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The South African side went two goals up in two second-half minutes through Jermaine Seoposenwe and Hildah Magaia before Rasheedat Ajibade grabbed a consolation goal in added time to end the match 2-1 in Morocco on Monday evening.
The result gives the Banyana Banyana a head start over record nine-time winners Nigeria, in a group that contains both Burundi and Botswana as the other members.
Speaking after the match, the South African coach highlighted that her team ensured that they dictated the tempo of the game against their Nigerian counterparts.
Ellis stated that her team ensured to break up the smooth play of the Super Falcons, instead forcing the West Africans to go long and capitalise on the mistakes that arose from that.
Ellis said: "We forced them to play long balls & we knew we can force them to make mistakes at the back which they did, the players deliver our plans."
However, the 59-year-old manager reminded her team that it is only the first match of the tournament, stressing that they must stay on course if they are to achieve their 'objectives.'
"We have to focus, we are done with this game and we have to focus on our objectives for the tournament," she concluded.
The victory means the South Africans have now defeated the Super Falcons in consecutive matches, following their 4-2 victory over the Nigerians in the final of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Cup in September 2021.
Super Falcons star forward Asisat Oshoala also suffered an injury late in the match against the South Africans, going off with a limp in the 82nd minute of the game.