South Africa manager Desiree Ellis has described her side’s Women’s Africa Cup of jin88bet.one Nations Group B meeting with ak168app.baby Burkina Faso as “probably the final” after the ak168app.club Banyana Banyana collected only one point from their opening two matches.
The two n ks168app.site ations meet with qualification for the knockout stage at stake, with kick-off scheduled for 22:00 South African time. South Africa are bottom of Group B, while Burkina Faso are third wit ic88 h two points.
In the other Group B fixture, leaders Cote d’Ivoire, who have four points, play Tanzania, who sit second on three points. Both ic88 matches will begin at the same time.
South Africa must beat Burkina Faso and then hope Cote d’Ivoire achieve the same result against Tanzania if they are to reach the quarter-finals.
Ellis said her players were fully aware o ic88 f the importance of the game but insisted their focus had to remain on their own performance.
“Burkina Faso did not get here by chance, but we have to fo ic88 cus on ourselves. We have to control the game from the opening whistle – we can only control what is in our power.”
She added: “We have pr lr88 epared well and we will be ready to give our best, aware of what is at stake. It is probably the final for us; if we do not get the desired result, it is the end of our journey.”
The South Africa manager believes the experience within her squ lr88 ad can help them cope with the pressure of a decisive group match.
“We have alread lr88 y been in similar situations and I am convinced that we have players experienced enough to lead us to victory. Yes, the pressure will be high, but we have never doubted ourselves and we can draw inspiration from our past experience,” said Dr Ellis.
Burkina Faso’s position in the group means they remain in content lr88 ion, while South Africa need both a victory of their own and a favourable result elsewhere. Cote d’Ivoire’s meeting with Tanzania will therefore be just op88 as significant to the Banyana Banyana’s prospects as their own match.
Only the top two teams from each group will progres si88 s to the quarter-finals. The winners of the quarter-finals will automatically qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 88v in Brazil next year.
South Africa’s immediate task, however, is to overcome Burkina Faso. The Banyana Banyana go into the contest knowing that anything less than the required result would end their campaign, while victory alone may not be enough unless the result in the other Group B match goes their way.
