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Desiree Ellis has announced her final Banyana Banyana squad for the crunch Olympic qualifiers against Nigeria’s Super Falcons, BSNSports.com.ng reports.
Ellis is happy to welcome the timely return of vastly experienced Bambanani Mbane, Refiloe Jane and Sibulele Holweni to the squad for the final two-legged round.
Banyana takes on traditional rivals Nigeria in Abuja on April 5 and hosts the return leg at the Loftus Stadium on April 9. The winner of this tie will join Brazil, Japan and Spain in Group C in the Olympic Games in Paris in July and August.
Mbane, Holweni and Jane, who plies her trade in Serie A (Sassuolo) in Italy and will play her first match for Banyana since the 2023 Women’s Fifa World Cup, are among a few players who have boosted Banyana for this crucial clash.
She told TimesLive after she announced the squad on Saturday, Ellis said the big match temperament of Mbane, Jane and Holweni will boost the side’s confidence.
“There is one thing that you can never buy and that is experience,” he said, adding that the team also has a few talented young players.”
Ellis said they were working around the logistics for this match as overseas-based players will only join them in Nigeria next week.
“Some of the players are joining us in Nigeria on different days because the Fifa date starts on April 1 and some are still playing and then travelling. It has happened in the past, you just have to manage it by making the players understand what you want to do.
“The advantage we have is that they have played together for a while, they know each other and the quality that the player next to them has.”
