South Africa coach Desiree Ellis has warned a “tough battle” awaits when her side face Nigeria in a heavyweight match in the final round of qualifiers for the women’s football tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Nigeria, the most successful side in Africa, host the reigning continental champions in Abuja on Friday, with the return leg in Pretoria four days later.
South Africa beat the Super Falcons en route to winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title in 2022, and now the countries meet again for a ticket to Paris.
“It’s like you are in the last round of a boxing match, a 12-round fight, where the winner succeeds and the loser goes home,” Ellis said.
“Nigeria are still one of the best teams on the continent. We know how big the game is. We don’t need to motivate the players, but we are excited.
“We need to get a positive result to take the pressure off us, coming home in the second leg.”
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Both countries reached the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last year, and Nigeria, at 36th in the world, are ranked 15 places above South Africa.
Banyana Banyana are aiming to qualify for the Games for the third time, after appearing in 2012 and 2016, while Nigeria are seeking a return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008.
After their maiden Women’s Nations Cup triumph was followed by becoming the first senior South African side to reach the World Cup knockout stages, Ellis is keen for her group of players to keep achieving.
“Having missed out [on the Olympics] in 2020, won the Wafcon and gone to the last 16 of the World Cup, this is one of the boxes as a group we haven’t ticked,” Ellis added.
The winners of the tie will take the last spot in Group C in Paris, alongside Spain, Japan and Brazil.
Meanwhile, Zambia face Morocco for a place in Group B, where the victors will face the United States, Germany and Australia.