Banyana Banyana Win WAFCON Opener, But Journalist Says Performance Was Disjointed

• Banyana Banyana beat Ghana 2–0 in their WAFCON opener, but fans and pundits were left unconvinced
• Briefly News in an exclusive interview with football analyst Brighton Bafana, who criticised the team’s lack of cohesion and urged Desiree Ellis to make tactical changes
• Bafana believes the absence of Thembi Kgatlana was felt and says Banyana need to dominate against Tanzania to prove their title credentials

Banyana Banyana played their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations game against Ghana and won 2–0, but their performance was far from convincing. Ghana could have won if they had been more clinical in front of the goal.

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, football pundit Brighton Bafana shared his thoughts on the match, saying the South African ladies lacked cohesion and urgency in their play.

"Banyana Banyana didn’t look sharp. They need to improve and play more direct football. The game lacked cohesion and was hugely disjointed and scrappy. Refiloe Jane had a quiet game, and for a player of her experience, we needed her to take control in midfield," Bafana said.

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Coach Desiree Ellis has to make changes

He added that head coach Desiree Ellis must ring the changes, especially in the midfield, if the team hopes to build momentum in the tournament.

"Ellis needs to make some changes in the middle of the park. We didn’t dominate possession, and at times, we looked second-best. We can't play like this and expect to defend our title successfully."

Jermaine is not clinical enough

Reflecting on the individual performances, Bafana said Jermaine Seoposenwe's efforts highlighted both promise and concern.

"Jermaine scored a good goal, but she also missed a golden opportunity that could’ve sealed the game much earlier. It shows that maybe, just maybe, we do miss Thembi Kgatlana's explosiveness and finishing instinct up front," he explained.

Bafana also pointed to Bambanani Mbane winning the Player of the Match award as an indication of the team’s overall performance.

"When a defender gets Player of the Match, it tells you the story that the girls did more defending than attacking. That’s not what you expect from a side that’s supposed to be taking control and setting the pace as defending champions."

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He conceded that the awarded penalty gave Banyana a lift, saying:

"The penalty was legitimate, and it boosted their confidence. Ghana were rattled after that, and it led to the second goal, but still, Banyana didn’t play like a team defending the title."

What should happen in the next game?

Looking ahead to the next game against Tanzania, Bafana offered clear advice on what needs to change:

Against Tanzania, we have to control the game from start to finish. Dictate the midfield, string proper passes together, look for spaces, unlock their defence, and keep them on the back foot. That’s the only way to make a real statement."

Danny Jordaan speaks on the Amajita bonus

Briefly News previously reported that the South African Football Association (SAFA) has yet to finalise any bonus or incentive structure for the Amajita squad following their historic U-20 Afcon triumph in Egypt.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News