South Africa women national team head coach, Desiree Ellis says her team will not underrate any team in the tournament that kicks off on Saturday in Morocco.The 2018 finalists have been pooled in group C alongside holders Nigeria and two debutants in Burundi and Botswana. The Banyana alongside the record winners will fight for the top two positions in the group.##NAJAVA_MECA_6471565##Heading to Morocco, Ellis has downplayed the notion that her team will only focus on giants by the Falcons. She says that women football in the continent has been on the rise and that they will handle each game with the seriousness that it deserves.“We can’t underestimate anyone. They are there because they deserve to be there and we saw Burundi beating Tanzania and Botswana coming through. You have Senegal beating Mali, who were semifinalists in 2018, and Tunisia knocking out two-time champions Equatorial Guinea. Women’s football on the continent is on the rise. We have to make sure we move in that direction so we don’t get left behind,” she told Soccer Net.We are not called Banyana BaStyle for nothing😎👆#NationalSunglassesDay pic.twitter.com/TI31b58cfN— Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies Team (@SundownsLadies) June 27, 2022 She adds that the goal is to win the competition having lost five finals before with the latest being the 2018 where Nigeria once again inflicted pain on them.“We have to make sure we get a positive result from the first match because that will set the tone for the rest of the tournament. It will also be naïve of us to go to the tournament and not set a goal of winning it. I think we will be no different from any other country in wanting to win it. We’ve been runners-up five times and 2018 was really the closest. The time is now that we really step up and make sure we get that gold medal, but we must not underestimate any teams in our group.”12 team have qualified for the tournament that will also serve as the 2023 World Cup qualifiers; all the semifinalists will qualify for the competition. Burundi, Botswana, Burkina Faso and Togo will all be debuting. Keeper scoring a jaw-dropping stoppage-time overhead equalizer? Common thing in Norwegian’s third tierBanyana Banyana Final Squad:GOALKEEPERS: Andile Dlamini, Kaylin Swart, Regirl NgobeniDEFENDERS: Karabo Dhlamini, Lebohang Ramalepe, Janine Van Wyk, Bambanani Mbane, Bongeka Gamede, Noko MatlouMIDFIELDERS: Refiloe Jane, Nomvula Kgoale, Linda Motlhalo, Thalea Smidt, Kholosa Biyana, Amogelang Motau, Robyn Moodaly, Sibulele HolweniFORWARDS: Jermaine Seoposenwe, Melinda Kgadiete, Noxolo Cesane, Nthabiseng Majiya, Thembi Kgatlana, Hildah MagaiaStandby players: Kebotseng Moletsane, Tiisetso Makhubela, Thubelihle Shamase
