Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis has announced her squad for this month’s Turkish Women’s Cup.
The tournament will be held from 13-23 February 2023 and the participants are hosts Turkey, Banyana Banyana, Slovenia, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Zambia.
Ellis said she will use the matches against Turkey on Wednesday 15 February 2023, Uzbekistan on 18 February and and Venezuela on 21 February to address some of the shortcomings she identified during her team’s friendly internationals against Brazil and Australia last year. Ellis’ charges suffered back-to-back defeats to Brazil (0-3 and 0-6) at home in South Africa in September, and then lost 1-4 to Australia in London in October last year.
“When you look at the Brazil and Australia games last year, I think individually and defensively we were found wanting. We have got to be better,” she said after announcing her squad on Monday (6 February 2023).
“Any team’s foundation is built on a good defense. Before we were very good defensively and we knew we would get a chance or two and we would score. So we have got to be better in that department.”
Ellis also sent condolences to Turkey after a devastating earthquake reportedly killed more than 1,900 people and left thousands injured in the country.
