South Africa head coach Desiree Ellis has urged her players to prepare mentally and physically for their crucial 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) play-in clash against Nigeria.
According to a report by Daily Post on Monday, August 10, 2026, Banyana Banyana were eliminated from the tournament’s quarter-finals after suffering a 2-1 defeat to hosts Morocco on Saturday.
Nigeria, meanwhile, lost 1-0 to Cameroon at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Sunday.
The two teams will now meet in a play-in fixture at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Thursday, with the winner advancing to the inter-confederation play-offs for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The play-off tournament, scheduled for November and December 2026, will feature 10 teams, with three places at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil up for grabs.
Despite South Africa’s quarter-final exit, Ellis believes her team still has an opportunity to reach the World Cup and must take advantage of it.
“We are not out of it. We didn’t want to go down that route, but it’s been thrown at us,” Ellis said via ESPN.
“We need to get ready for the next game mentally, get ready for it physically, we need to recover quickly.”
The clash against Nigeria therefore presents both sides with another opportunity to keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.
COURTESY: Great@news
