Ellis admits no margin for error as Banyana Banyana starts WAFCON campaign
Banyana Banyana head coach, Desiree Ellis, has stressed the significance of winning their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Group B opener against Tanzania in Casablanca on Monday evening.
In their last meeting, the two countries played to a draw.
The four semifinalists will qualify for next year’s World Cup in Brazil.
Ellis says they have prepared well for the tournament.
“Now that the tournament is 16 (teams), there's no margin for error. You know, in the past, you could qualify as the best third place as well.
“Now just the top two qualify, so the first game of the tournament is very, very important, to set the tone for the rest of the tournament.”
A record 16-nation line-up -- up from 12 at the previous edition -- will compete, with 10-time title-holders and defending champions Nigeria the team to beat.
There have been 13 WAFCON tournaments from 1998, and apart from Nigeria, only Equatorial Guinea twice and South Africa once have been crowned champions.
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Equatorial Guinea failed to qualify this time, while South Africa are the top seeds in Group B, where they will face Tanzania, the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.
Morocco, losers as hosts to Nigeria and South Africa in the past two finals, face Algeria, Senegal and Kenya in Group A.
Group D comprises 2024 bronze medalists Ghana, three-time runners-up Cameroon, and newcomers Cape Verde, who will hope to enthral Africa as the senior men's team did at the 2026 World Cup.
Three stadiums in the capital, Rabat, and two in the commercial hub, Casablanca, will host 34 games, including two matches between quarter-final losers for inter-continental World Cup play-off slots.
