South Africa Release Squad for Crunch Olympic Qualifiers Against Super Falcons

South Africa Release Squad for Crunch Olympic Qualifiers Against Super Falcons

Chukwu Ikechukwu
March 30, 2024 at 12:58 PM
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Nigeria
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  • South Africa has released a 24-man squad to face Nigeria’s Super Falcons
  • Banyana Banyana will face the Super Falcons for a ticket to the Paris Olympics
  • Nigeria will host the first-leg in Abuja on April 5

South Africa's head coach, Desiree Ellis, has named her 24-player roster for the crucial 2024 Olympic Games qualifier against Nigeria's Super Falcons, which takes place next weekend.

Banyana Banyana are hoping to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time since 2016 and will need to get a better result against Nigeria in two legs to be able to advance.

South Africa, Nigeria, Desiree Ellis, Super Falcons, Banyana Banyana
South Africa have qualified for the Olympic Games just twice in their history. Photo by Andy Cheung.
Source: Getty Images

According to the Daily Post, Thembi Kgatlana, Linda Motlhalo, Refiloe Jane, Jermaine Seoposenwe, and Hildah Magaia are some of the key players that have been included in coach Ellis’ squad.

The 24-woman roster comprises three goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders, and six strikers who will travel to Abuja ahead of the game scheduled for the Moshood Abiola Stadium on April 5.

Nigeria and South Africa will clash again in the reverse fixture in Pretoria on Tuesday, April 9 to determine who picks one of the two slots for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Super Falcons camp opens early

Meanwhile, Nigeria's Super Falcons will begin close camping on Sunday, March 31, for the vital Paris Olympics qualifiers final round first leg match against South Africa, The Nation Online reports.

Nigeria has failed to qualify for the Olympics for three consecutive editions and will be bidding to end that barren spell when they tackle Banyana Banyana over two legs in the space of five days in April.

The Super Falcons is also the only women's national team from the Confederation of African Football to have reached the quarterfinals in both the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Summer Olympics.

Ellis fires warning to Super Falcons

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Banyana Banyana coach Ellis has branded the final phase of South Africa's Olympic qualifier against Nigeria as a 'do-or-die'.

Nigeria and South Africa will go head-to-head for a sole ticket to the summer Olympic games to be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11.

Both countries failed to qualify for the last edition of the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

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Chukwu Ikechukwu
Chukwu Ikechukwu Godwin is a journalist with over 9 years of experience in the Nigerian media industry. He has worked both in Radio (Today FM, Rhythm FM, Wish FM) and Television (Silverbird TV) as a Sports Analyst..