Desiree Ellis backs Kaylin Swart ahead of decisive World Cup clash

Heading into their final group stage match, the African champions find themselves in a precarious position, desperately needing a victory when they face Italy on Wednesday at 09h00.

With just one match remaining in Group G, Sweden sit on top with six points, followed by Italy with three, while South Africa and Argentina both have one point, separated by goal difference.

Questions arose after Banyana's 2-1 loss to Sweden, where they had initially led 1-0 in their opening group stage match at the World Cup. The defeat sparked doubts about Ellis' decision to start Swart over Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Andile Dlamini.

In the subsequent match, Banyana squandered a 2-0 lead, allowing Argentina to score twice within five minutes and salvage a draw. Once again, Swart and the Banyana defence were under scrutiny.

Addressing the criticism, Ellis responded, "I'm not sure what that is based on because if we look at Kaylin's involvement, including the back-passes, it is higher than many of the other goalkeepers in the tournament. We selected Kaylin specifically to be able to assist us when we go back and get us on the front foot as well," as quoted by KickOff.

Some suggested that Dlamini, Banyana's tallest player at the World Cup, would have coped better with some of the conceded goals. However, Ellis firmly disagreed.

"I don't think it was a height problem; I think it was more of an organizational problem. Sweden scored only one out of the 13 corners they got, and if you look at Italy, they scored three out of seven, even though they had taller players than us," Ellis added.

"The goal we conceded, when the Argentinian headed the ball, that player was only 1.5 meters tall. So, it's more of an organizational problem than a height problem."

Ellis remains steadfast in her support for Kaylin Swart, emphasizing her crucial role in the team's tactics and dismissing the notion that height played a significant factor in the team's defensive challenges.

As the crucial clash with Italy looms, Banyana aim to prove their resilience and secure a place in the knockout stages of the tournament.