NewStats: 3,265,489 , 8,186,922 topics. Date: Sunday, 15 June 2025 at 09:34 AM 4c26k

Banyana Banyana have Africa Women Cup of Nations win in their sights

Now that Banyana know their Africa Women Cup of Nations opponents, the coach can begin plotting a path to the title.
In spite of a perennial dominance of the regional Cosafa Cup, the South African women’s football team are still on the hunt for an elusive Africa Women Cup of Nations (Awcon) title.


During the last edition in 2018, Desiree Ellis’s side missed out on the crown by the skin of their teeth. They went down 4-3 to Nigeria, on penalties. The team’s only consolation was that, by finishing as runners-up, they sealed their maiden Fifa Women’s World Cup appearance in 2019.

For the 2022 edition they have again been pitted against the Nigerians, whom they managed to beat in the 2018 group phase, before the Super Falcons soared when it mattered the most.

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Now, Banyana Banyana have an opportunity to exact some revenge over their sworn rivals since the tournament draw on 29 April. They also have to contend with Botswana and Burundi – both making their debut at the continental showpiece.

“Well, we always knew the draw was not going to be easy. Nigeria, the defending champions and multiple winners, always bring their A game and know what it takes to win,” Ellis said in reaction to the draw.

Ellis and her charges will be buoyed by their most recent result against the Nigerians. Banyana were 4-2 victors in the final of the inaugural Aisha Buhari Cup invitational tournament, hosted and organised by the west African nation. South Africa’s first group match is against Nigeria. There they will hope to clip the wings of the Super Falcons once again, as they did in the Buhari Cup.
We have played them a few times in the group stages. They have raised their levels and we have to raise our levels even higher to get a positive result. The first game is the most important game and once again we need a positive result but it will take a huge effort,” Ellis said about the Nigerian threat.
Assessing the debutants
Regarding Burundi, the former South Africa international itted having some knowledge of the east Africans and said that she is looking forward to a good first tie.

“Burundi are one of the debutants, but they are not here by chance. We have not played them before but have seen them during the qualifiers and will have an opportunity during the tournament to see more of them as well,” she noted.

The final occupant of Group C and the team Banyana Banyana will end their mini-league campaign against is neighbouring Botswana – whom they beat in the 2020 Cosafa Women’s Cup final.

“Botswana are from our Cosafa region and are another debutant who we know a lot about, having played each other so many times,” said the two-time CAF Women’s Coach of the Year.

Despite their dominant record against their southern African neighbours, South Africa have painful memories of the Mares kicking them out of their quest to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. But Ellis said that was all in the past and they were zoned in on the future.

“We have not lost to them in 90 minutes in 10 meetings, but we must not forget the Tokyo Olympic qualifier where we failed to score in both matches and lost on a penalty shootout,” she said.

“We have already played them a few times after they cut short our quest to qualify for the 2020 Olympics and have got good results. It’s never about revenge as it’s a totally different competition and game.

“It’s just about the next game and/or next competition. We know a lot of each other and the games have been very tight and I expect this one to be no different.”

Banyana Banyana will begin their title bid against Nigeria on 4 July in Rabat, Morocco. They will then take on Burundi three days later. The culmination of their group phase will come versus regional rivals Botswana on 10 July.
Squad selection process
With women’s football having grown in leaps and bounds in SA over the past decade, Ellis and her technical team have a host of quality players to potentially call upon for the tournament.

There are a few internationally based players who will likely select themselves if they are fit and available. The list includes players such as Spain-based Thembi Kgatlana, who finished as top scorer at the 2018 tournament with five goals. There is also Linda Motlhalo, who brings unrivalled flair and creativity.

Locally, leaders such as Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies duo Bambanani Mbane and Andile Dlamini are likely to feature in the coach’s final squad list in their quest for continental glory in Morocco.

However, with such a wide pool to choose from, it will be a tough task for the coach and her advisers to trim the list down to the 21 players required. Speaking to DM168, Ellis shared some of the technical team’s selection methodology for tournaments in particular.

“People will ask why this player isn’t in the team, but then you chose that one… When we select our teams, we also look at the different formations that we can play, because you have to have a Plan A, Plan B and a Plan C,” said the former Banyana Banyana forward.

She hinted that, with the limitations in of the players a technical team can select to take to the tournament, it’s crucial to cover all your bases by choosing players you can call on to play in multiple positions – in case of injury, illness or suspension in the team.

“We also have to look at whether we have all the positions covered enough. So, sometimes a player loses out because of that. For example, if you have a striker [who] can only play as a striker … maybe the striker is not your first or second choice,” said Ellis.

“But you have a striker and a winger who can [both] play across the front three. Then that striker who can only play in that position loses out. Because you’ve got to look at covering all your bases when you’re going for a tournament. You have to have players [who] are … versatile.”
Ellis and her staff have a few weeks to analyse the players and start curating a final list.

With the domestic leagues – the top-flight Hollywoodbets Super League and second-tier Sasol League – kicking off recently, many will be playing out of their skin to impress the national coach and her technical team. This they will do in the hopes of being part of a Banyana team out to make history in Morocco.

2022 AWCON: Glory Ogbonna Urge Team Not To Underate Group Opponents

Ahead of the 2022 African Women Cup of Nations, Nigeria's Super Falcons defender Glory Ogbonna has urged the team not to underrate the group opponents, Apart from South Africa in group C with Nigeria, both Burundi and Botswana are debutants in the competition which make bookmakers tagged them as underdog.


While analyzing the AWCON draw, Ogbonna, who plays for Segunda División Pro team, Santa Teresa CD, stated that there are no more minnows in African football.

“Well, it is a draw just like other groups as well though people are saying it is an easy group, yeah I can agree with them somehow based on the fact that only South Africa and Super falcons are well known in group C.," she said.

Super Falcons will play Bayana Bayana in the opening group match before facing Burundi and Botswana later in the tournament.

https://vk.com/video-197469803_456240380?list=838aede513da821bd8

This was CSKA Moscow last League game,
Ordega and Cameroonian Aboudi Onguene were in action, you can watch and see how far they're performing this season...

Hopefully we would get a Super inform Franny Ordega for the AWCON in Morocco

My Possible 7 Midfielders for the AWCON


1. Rita Chikwelu 34yrs (Madrid CFF) SPAIN

2. Regina Otu 25yrs (Minsk FC) BELARUS

3. Christy Ucheibe 21yrs (Benfica FC) PORTUGAL

4. Rasheedat Ajibade 22yrs (Atletico Madrid Femenino) SPAIN

5. Ngozi Okobi 28yrs ( Eskilstuna United DFF) SWEDEN

6. Halimatu Ayinde 27yrs (Eskilstuna United DFF) SWEDEN

7. Tony Payne 27yrs (Sevilla FC) SPAIN

Standby...
*** Peace Efih 21yrs( F.C. Kiryat Gat) ISRAEL

Amanda Mbadi 23yrs (Bayelsa Queens) NIGERIA

My Possible 7 Defenders for the AWCON


1. Onome Ebi 39yrs (Unattached) NIGERIA

2. Osinachi Ohale 30yrs (Deportive Alaves) SPAIN

3. Ashleigh Plumptre 24yrs (Leicester City Women FC) ENGLAND

4. Akudo Ogbonna 22yrs (Edo Queens) NIGERIA

5. Michelle Alozie 25yrs (Houston Dash) USA

6. Nicole Payne 21yrs (West Virginia Mountaineers) USA

7. Patricia George 25yrs (SC Sand)

Standby...
*** Onyinyechi Zogg 25yrs (Turbine Portdam)

Glory Ogbonna 23yrs (Santa Teresa) SPAIN

My possible 3 Goalkeepers for the AWCON

1.Tochukwu Oluehi 35yrs ( Maccabi Kishronot Hadera FC) ISRAEL.

2. Chiamaka Nnadozie 21yrs (Paris FC) .

3. Yewande Balogun 32yrs ( Coppermine United) USA

Standby
*** Onyinyechi Okeke 23yrs (Bayelsa Queens) NIGERIA

*** Christy Ohaeriaku 25yrs (Edo Queens) NIGERIA

Will be bringing you my possible list of 23Players for the AWCON..

From Goalkeeping department to the Attack, including those to be on Standby..

Note; This is my own personal list..

PDPGuy:

She will thrive in a 4-3-3

Of course even in their Low block formation..

It's going to be difficult for Randy Waldrum picking his 23players for the AWCON proper...

Maybe
(A) 3 Goalkeepers, 7 Defenders, 6 Midfielders, 7 Strikers

Or
(B) 3 Goalkeepers, 7 Defenders, 7 Midfielders, 6 Strikers

Or
(C)

3 Goalkeepers, 6 Defenders, 7 Midfielders, 7 Strikers

Olympic Lyon vs Paris FC this Weekend...

5 Assist and 4 goals for Onyeka Gamero in 3games..

mostob:
Ok....fact is we can't call everybody. We will get some and at the same time, lose some. A lot of Nigeria eligible players are littered abroad but when you consider the talents currently I'm our U20 and U17, wetin man go do

E nor easy at all...

But the truth is that Wether Foreign Born or Home Based they all deserve equal opportunity to play for Nigeria, but right now we mainly work with the Home grown at the U17 level and like 2 to 3% of the Foreign born too at the U20 level...

Right now am confused as to where Coach Randy Waldrum would play Tony Payne in the Superfalcon starting 11...

He already tried her out in over multiple positions for a Year..

Wing Back, Left Back, Attacking Midfield and as a forward..

AkinDS:
This kid is a superb player. Watched her play this past weekend and she just reminded me of a more refined and skillful Ordega in her U20 days.
Another one that slipped thru the cracks for Naija.

She also have the physical looks of Ifeoma Onumonu strike partner at Gotham FC... Play the same with a lot of pace Margaret Purce the US international...

We're not the only one loosing Players here too, Catarina Macario who plays for Lyon turn down Brazil to Play for the US... Look how she's booming up and up now.

AkinDS:
At least, make an effort to get them and if you lose, you lose.
Not that you fold your arms and do nothing, and expect to get the best talent out there - which is the stance Nigeria has adopted all these years and we have paid dearly for it.

We're doing our best and you all also have a part to play too...

Swedish Forward Fridolina Rolfo doesn't mind playing as a Left Back as far she gets the game time at Barcelona Femenino...

Schemerkhiz:
USA women’s youth U17 player Onyeka Gamero has written her name in the history books after she scored the fastest-ever goal in tournament history for the USA.

Onyeka Gamero achieved this feat Saturday when she opened the scoring for the US U17 women’s team in the 23rd second to lead them to 11-0 win over Curaçao in a CONCACAF U17 Women’s competition.



The wonder kid went on to score in the 49th minute to give the US a 6-0 lead after she assisted Nicholette Kiorpes for a goal in the seventh minute

.Onyeka completed her hat-trick in the 73rd minute for a 10-0 lead.

She has now scored four goals in the tournament




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDKHSfiWqzc


Onyeka Gamero with the United States U17 They are near to qualify to the 2022 FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup. This American forward is half-Spanish and half-Nigerian.

This Gamero too is another super talented striker good with both feets, Half Nigeria and Half Spanish but US don ready grab her....

I one player who recently debuted for Netherland at the Senior level, she was open to play for 3 top counties Spain, US and Netherland but she went with the Dutch..

AkinDS:
Eseosa Aigbogun - Swiss player who we chose to ignore even when she had aspirations to play for Naija by way of her dad.
So many kids we could have had. Similar will happen to the young Vicki girl in Spain. There is absolutely no way Spain will let her go. No way, considering she is a precocious talent who could become world class.
Naija dropped the ball here - big time!

Vicky wears no.10 for Spain U17 now, she has the final say here, I know too well that Spain wouldn't let her go but the Nigeria in her is still there...

With the presence of Ashleigh Plumptre, Tony Sisters, Onyi Zogg, Roosa Ariyo in the team I believe they would all want to play for Nigeria too..

AkinDS:
Its a pathway to Canadian citizenship. She qualified by donning the Canadian colors.
Those Canadians are very serious and don't horse around.

Anyway Sha... My Big eyes are on all of them, Following them up bumper to bumper especially Vicky Lopez, Spain must not get her at the Senior level, She's still very much interested in playing for the Superfalcons, Her father too wanted her to play for Nigeria in honor of her late mother but Spain don ready grab her like dis...

mostob:
I bet that girl in the second picture is also Nigerian. .Aigbogun.

Yes she's but already playing for the Switzerland Women National Team with over 30caps...


She spoke out years ago about playing for Nigeria but we didn't go for her, She's Chiamaka Nnadozie team mate at Paris FC in , plays as a Left wing but currently as a Left Back for Paris FC

AkinDS:
Canada is very actively poaching players globally. The Canadian FA and the Canadian govt. are working together on this.
It is not by happenstance that their MNT qualified for the world cup and doing so decisively, winning their CONCACAF group ahead of powerhouses Mexico and the US.
They are slowly but steadily amassing a powerhouse of quality players for their WNT (evidenced by winning the Olympics) and will very soon start to compete for the WWC.

But this Simi case is just intriguing to me, Both Parents are Nigerian, born here in Nigeria before moving to the US, I wonder how she became a Canadian without living there for the stipulated number of years.. Not even US but Canada.... hahaha ��

AkinDS:
I beg, no vex.
Na work wey no gree me chance.

At least you're back now, let's keep the platform running...

Shay you da see your Nigerian children them wha da rep another Country, On YouTube you will get to watch their Videos.

So many Nigeria talent spread all over the World... There's one also who Plays Right Back for the Netherland U20 Women's team, hopefully i will be monitoring all of them during the various tournament proper..


Posted them here so you all we also keep tabs with them...


Nina Iyobosa Nijstad .... DUTCH U20


I spoke with Nina sometime ago and she was interesting in Playing for the Superfalcons but just wanted her for Finnish with the Dutch U20 first ..

Her performance at this U20 Women's World Cup will definitely prompt me more to go for her...


Anyway thanks to my great friend Andrés Lopés who keeps making the job easy to get access to them..

2 Nigeria-eligible players are currently representing Canada at the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship. They are Ireoluwa Omotayo and Janet Okeke. The following are their profile on the Canada Soccer website ---> https://www.canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=55756 (Omotayo). https://www.canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=55700 (Okeke).

I don't understand why Simi Awujo has recently represented Canada W U20. The very Canadian Soccer Association says she was born and raised in USA to Nigerian parents (born in Nigeria). If she and all of their parents and grandparents were not born in Canada and she has not lived in Canada the required time, she is not eligible to play for Canada.

The young lady has already represented US at U15, U16, U17 and U18 levels.


Ayo Oke


A top-notch defender, who currently plays for California, featured for NTH Tophat Club and helped them reach the GAL Championship game.

She was named best regional player in the 2020/2021 season.

She was born to Nigerian parents, which makes her eligible to also play for Nigeria.

USA women’s youth U17 player Onyeka Gamero has written her name in the history books after she scored the fastest-ever goal in tournament history for the USA.

Onyeka Gamero achieved this feat Saturday when she opened the scoring for the US U17 women’s team in the 23rd second to lead them to 11-0 win over Curaçao in a CONCACAF U17 Women’s competition.



The wonder kid went on to score in the 49th minute to give the US a 6-0 lead after she assisted Nicholette Kiorpes for a goal in the seventh minute

.Onyeka completed her hat-trick in the 73rd minute for a 10-0 lead.

She has now scored four goals in the tournament




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDKHSfiWqzc


Onyeka Gamero with the United States U17 They are near to qualify to the 2022 FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup. This American forward is half-Spanish and half-Nigerian.

AkinDS:
Please forget this lady - she underwhelms everytime she plays for Nigeria.
That's why she fell out of Waldrum's plans after she put up a very poor display during the Turkish invitational.
Time to focus on more exciting prospects.

Hahaha.... na post i post ooo


Anyways where have you been all this while?
I miss your contributions, do well to help us keep this group busy and updated...

Another technically gifted Superfalcons Forward... Esther Okoronkwo

Superfalcons Chinese Plug...

Meizhuo Hakka FC Striker Chinwendu Veronica Ihezuo

https://www.tropheesunfp.com/#anchor_trophy_1




Superfalcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie nominated for the Goalkeeper of the Year in the French Women Football League

Please Click on the link and vote for her �