Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis targets two high-profile friendlies next month

Ellis told SABC Sport they will use available Fifa breaks mostly to prepare players who play locally for the World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in July and August.  

"Look, we have another window on the 9th of April where we are looking at playing two games. Then we are also going to utilise May and June to make sure that we work with the local players because we know the international players are playing week in, week out so we need to get everybody on the same level," she said.

Banyana are in Group G with Spain, Italy, and Argentina, and the World Cup mandate for Ellis from Safa is to qualify for the knockout stages.

"The president and everyone has said we must qualify for the knockout stages. I think it's a reasonable group but it's still difficult though. We could have had USA and Nertherlands or Spain and Japan, we could have had France and Brazil, so I think it's a reasonable group. The first game is actually the most important game," she added.

Ellis confirmed star player Thembi Kgatlana would feature for Banyana in the World Cup after suffering a knee injury during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph in Morocco in 2022. Safa team Doctor Thulani Ngwenya and her United States club Louisville FC are happy with her recovery.

"Thembi is already training with the club. We are in constant contact. As Dr Thulani said, our chief medical officer, the recovery was amazing. It took six months instead of nine months but it shows the kind of person Thembi is. She's working really hard that side and the club absolutely loves her," Ellis concluded.