“Why Super Falcons Remain Dominant In Africa” — South Africa Coach

Banyana Banyana of South Africa head coach Desiree Ellis has explained why she believes the Super Falcons remain the dominant team in Africa.

On Monday, the Falcons will begin the defence of their title when they face South Africa in their 2022 WAFCON Group C opener.

Their last encounter in the competition was in the final of the 2018 edition in Ghana which the Falcons won 4-3 on penalties.

When the two teams met at last year’s Aishat Buhari Cup in Lagos, South Africa triumphed 4-2.

And speaking at a Press Conference on Sunday afternoon, Ellis stated that consistency on the part of the Falcons has continued to set them apart from other teams on the continent.

“The first game of the tournament is always the biggest game and this makes it even better because it’s against defending champions Nigeria and because it is Nigeria, the game is bigger than what it is supposed to be.

“We want to start well and we know it is going to be a tough encounter. They are not Champions for nothing.

“They have been consistent over the years and that is one area that we need to improve on; to be consistent in our performances and be classified amongst the best.

“It’s all about the three points at the moment and getting the tournament to a good start.”

Ellis was in charge of Banyana Banyana when they lost to the Falcons in 2018 final.

This year’s tournament kicked off on Saturday with hosts Morocco pipping debutants Burkina Faso 1-0 in Group A.

On Sunday, Tunisia recorded the biggest win margin following their 4-1 triumph over Togo who had a player sent off while Cameroon and Zambia played goalless.

Also on Sunday, Senegal marked their return to the competition with a 2-0 win against Uganda.

The 2022 WAFCON tournament also doubles as the African qualifiers for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The top four teams will qualify for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and two more teams will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.