Banyana Banyana were not disgraced by their 2-1 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) semifinal defeat to Nigeria in Casablanca on Tuesday, says coach Desiree Ellis.
The loss brought Banyana's reign as Wafcon champions to an end after they won the competition for the first time in 2022, also in Morocco.
Ellis insisted on their day South Africa could have overcome the Super Falcons. She highlighted the nasty injury suffered by utility player Gabriela Salgado, with what might have been a broken chin, towards the end of the match as something that could have distracted them and led to conceding the Super Falcons' last-gasp winning goal in added time through a comedy of errors.
“I'm proud of this team. I don't know what Salgado's injury is, but after that injury it took us a while to get going. Maybe that's the reason we conceded at the time.”
The South African Football Association promised an update on Salgado but by midday on Wednesday there was still no word. The injury saw some Banyana and Nigerian players shedding tears immediately after she collapsed with seven minutes remaining in Tuesday's semifinal.
“I think from the reaction of the players it was bad,” Ellis said. “I haven't received the medical report yet but on the players' side it was bad.
“We had to calm them down, we had to make sure they stayed focused. It was difficulty after that moment.”
When Salgado was injured the score was level at 1-1, the Super Falcons having taken the lead through Rasheedat Ajibade's 45th-minute spot kick and Linda Motlhalo equalising on the hour mark, also with a penalty.
A cross from deep by Michelle Alozie was somehow missed by the Banyana defenders and wrong-footed goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, who concentrated on two attackers chasing the ball, for Nigeria's winner four minutes into added time.
Ellis insisted Banyana could have won the game had they taken chances they created in both halves.
“When we had the chances we did, especially the one of Noxolo [Cesane], that's really heartbreaking.
“But we showed why we were champions. We didn't look like a team that had played 120 minutes [in their penalty shoot-out quarterfinal win against Senegal on Saturday night] in the previous match. We gave it as good as they did.
“After the first few minutes where Dlamini had to make a double save, we had our own half-chances for Jermaine [Seoposenwe] and Hildah [Magaia].
“And their winner was just a freakish goal and those are the ones you can't defend. Those are crosses you can't defend.
“We said the crosses were going to come and they scored from one of them. I don't think, looking at our performance, that we deserved to lose, but one team had to lose.”
Banyana were disadvantaged by playing their quarter against Senegal that went to extra time in Oujda on Saturday, while Nigeria had an extra day to prepare for the semifinal, having beaten Zambia 5-0 on Friday. South Africa also had to travel 600km from Oujda to Casablanca, while the Super Falcons remained at the same venue.
“It's about getting over that line and we had a team that had less recovery time. We travelled and that gave Nigeria an extra day. But what I'm proud of is we didn't look like a team that had played 120 minutes,” Ellis said.
“The way we moved the ball around, I thought it was pure joy and we had Nigeria chasing shadows. I don't think we deserved to lose. If we had taken our chances, I think we would be speaking differently now.”
Banyana have pride to salvage when they meet Ghana in the third-place playoff in Casablanca on Friday (9pm).
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