Coach Desiree Ellis expects a very tough match when her Banyana Banyana side clash with Zambia in an international friendly encounter away in Lusaka on Saturday.
Banyana Banyana are going to use the Zambia match to prepare for their African Women’s Cup of Nations qualifier against Algeria. They face Algeria at home on Friday next week and away five days later.
“Zambia have been to the Olympics, they have done extremely well. We played each other a few occasions. Games have been very tight between us. We would have liked North African opposition because we play a North African team. We all know the challenges of COVID,” Ellis said.
Ellis reckons that Saturday’s match is important to both her team and the Zambians, who face Namibia in an African Women’s Cup of Nations qualifier.
“This will not only help us. It will also help Zambia because they are also preparing for a game against Namibia. We know when we play it’s not really a friendly, it’s a very competitive match. Even though it’s a friendly we still want to win the match. Zambia are a fantastic team, I foresee a very tough encounter,” Ellis remarked.
Ellis and her team have been in camp preparing for Saturday’s game since Friday last week and they arrived in Zambia on Thursday.
