Banyana kick-start World Cup preparations

Banyana Banyana got their preparations for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a training camp that will be held in Cape Town from Wednesday, 9 January 2019.

The tournament will be held in France from 7 June to 7 July, and Desiree Ellis’ charges are in Group A alongside Spain, China PR and Germany.

During their training camp, the first of many leading to the World Cup, the South African Senior Women’s National Team will play two international friendly matches – the first against Netherlands on Saturday, 19 January, followed by Sweden on Tuesday, 22 January.

Both matches will take place at the Cape Town Stadium and will kick off at 15h00 and 19h00 respectively.

A closed-door training match against Sweden will precede this on Thursday, 17 January 2019.

Ellis has announced a squad of 26 players to feature in the two games.

She has kept the bulk of the team that did duty in the 2018 Women’s AFCON in Ghana where Banyana Banyana finished in second position behind Nigeria.

South Africa will also face the USA – World Champions, and currently the top-ranked team in the world on Sunday, 12 May 2019.

The clash takes place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California (South of San Francisco), and forms part of the USA and Banyana Banyana’s pre-FIFA Women World Cup preparations.

Meanwhile Ellis was last night (Tuesday, 8 January 2019) named the 2018 CAF Coach of the Year in a glittering ceremony held in Dakar, Senegal.

Forward Thembi Kgatlana was also a big winner – bagging two trophies, the CAF Goal of the Year and the CAF Woman Player of the Year awards.

But Banyana Banyana missed out on the CAF Women’s National Team of the Year – an award they won last year. This year they were pipped to the finish line by Nigeria.