Ellis Believes Banyana Are On Right Track After Historic Japan Triumph
Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis believes her side is heading in the right direction ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following a landmark performance that underlined the team’s progress against one of the world’s elite nations in Japan.
The South African senior women’s national team produced a memorable display to defeat Japan 1-0 in an international friendly in Osaka on Tuesday, recording what Ellis believes is the country’s first-ever victory against a nation ranked inside FIFA’s top 10.
Japan is currently ranked fifth in the world, while Banyana moved up to 57th in the latest FIFA rankings after previously occupying 58th place. They remain the second-highest-ranked team in Africa behind Nigeria.
The victory was particularly impressive as it came just days after Banyana suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to the Asian champions in the opening match of their Japanese tour on Saturday. The two-match series formed part of South Africa’s preparations for the upcoming WAFCON tournament.
Reflecting on the significance of the result, Ellis said the victory demonstrated that her team was making steady progress despite the gap in rankings between the two sides.
“I think this, if I’m not mistaken, is the first win against a top-10 nation, and what a way to do it,” she said.
“They’ve just recently come off a series against the US, where they also beat the US in one of the games. So it says we’re on the right track, but we have to stay humble.
“We have to make sure that we use this as a springboard to get bigger and better. We have to make sure that the lessons from this continue, that we continue improving as individuals and as a team, because we know what this is all about.
“It’s about WAFCON, it’s preparation for WAFCON. Even though we’re playing Japan and WAFCON was originally supposed to happen in March, the idea was always to play Japan afterwards.
“It came at the right time, with a top opponent and two matches against them. I think it was fantastic for the whole group, the technical team, the support staff, and the players. They really put in a shift, put their bodies on the line when it mattered, and we got a result out of that.”
The continental showpiece was initially scheduled to take place from 17 March to 3 April 2026 in Morocco, but was later postponed to 25 July to 16 August due to what CAF described as “certain unforeseen circumstances.”
South Africa has been drawn in Group B, where they will face Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Tanzania. Their campaign begins against Tanzania on 25 July as they look to reclaim the title they won in 2022 after defeating hosts Morocco in the final. Nigeria are the reigning champions after beating Morocco in the 2025 final.
One of the standout performers in Osaka was goalkeeper Kaylin Swart, whose heroics between the posts helped secure a famous clean sheet. Time and again, the experienced shot-stopper denied Japan, producing several crucial saves to frustrate the hosts.
Ellis was full of praise for Swart’s contribution and the collective defensive effort that protected South Africa’s slender lead.
“Look, I must say, I think that first save in the opening 22 seconds really set the tone,” Ellis added.
“I think we lifted our performance, and when she was called upon, she was there to make the save. But I must also say that the players around her, especially those in defence, really put their bodies on the line at times.
“When someone stepped out, someone else stepped in and made the tackle. When someone got beaten, there was always support.
“The team gave everything. You cannot fault them for the effort. She made some really good saves at crucial moments, putting her body on the line as well, and that’s why we’ve got a clean sheet.”
With confidence boosted by a historic victory over one of the world’s strongest teams, Banyana Banyana will now turn their attention to WAFCON, hoping their success in Japan can serve as the foundation for another strong continental campaign.
