Banyana Banyana head coach Dr Desiree Ellis says results mattered in the two international friendlies against Senegal.
The African champions drew the first friendly last week, conceding late much to the dissatisfaction of the coach but came back to win the second game 2-0 in Thies on Tuesday evening with a fairly new team.
There was a number of key players, most who were part of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Olympic qualifier against Nigeria, that didn’t make the squad for different reasons including non-selection, injuries with some withdrawing before the trip.
The friendlies were Banyana’s first outing since missing out on the Olympics and are part of the team’s preparations for the defense of their WAFCON title. Dr Ellis says positive results are good for player confidence and momentum.
“Of course results matter but it gives players confidence, it give the team confidence,” said Ellis in her post-match speech.
“You know we’ve come with a group of players that don’t play regularly and I think we should have won the first game as well. But to come away with a draw and a win it says a lot for the confidence but it also gives the players a little bit of more confidence and momentum. And of course we are always looking at improved performances.
“We are always looking at doing things better all the time because at the end of the day that’s who we are that’s how we play and we are not going to change that. It’s important that we take the draw but it’s also important that we use that to rectify things.
“And today we did all of those things better and it resulted in the two goals and as I said it could have been more.”