‘We Never Back Down’: Banyana Banyana Ready for Super Falcons Showdown

Banyana Banyana are ready to put their WAFCON disappointment behind them as they face the Super Falcons of Nigeria tonight

August 13, 2026

59d ago

Banyana Banyana are ready to put their WAFCON disappointment behind them as they face the Super Falcons of Nigeria tonight in a massive 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off. South Africa's hopes of automatically qualifying for next year's World Cup suffered a major blow after they were knocked out of the 2026 WAFCON quarter-finals by hosts Morocco. But the road to Brazil is not over. Tonight, Banyana have another opportunity to keep their World Cup dream alive — but standing in their way are old rivals Nigeria. ‘There Is No Margin For Error’ Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis knows exactly what is at stake. With the World Cup qualification route now going through a series of difficult play-offs, Ellis has challenged her players to forget the disappointment of their WAFCON exit and focus completely on Nigeria. The South African coach admitted that this is not where the team wanted to find themselves, but believes they have been handed another opportunity that they must grab. Her message to the squad is clear: Bring your A-game. There is no room for mistakes. Refiloe Jane: ‘It’s Do or Die’ Banyana captain Refiloe Jane is also under no illusion about the importance of the encounter. The midfielder believes the lessons from their WAFCON campaign must now motivate the team rather than weigh them down. For Jane, tonight's clash is simple: Win or the World Cup dream takes another huge hit. She also pointed to South Africa's previous success against Nigeria as a source of confidence, insisting that Banyana have shown before that they can defeat the Super Falcons. ‘We Never Back Down’ South Africa forward Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado echoed that confidence. Despite describing the team's WAFCON journey as a difficult one, she believes Banyana can turn things around if they produce their best football. The forward expects a physically and mentally demanding encounter but says the South Africans are ready for the challenge. And that could make tonight's game even more interesting. Banyana vs Super Falcons This is more than just another African women's football rivalry. Both teams were eliminated from the WAFCON quarter-finals. Both missed out on the automatic World Cup places. And both now have one more chance to stay alive. For South Africa, it is about redemption. For Nigeria, it is about redemption too. Only one team can take the next step. The message from the Banyana camp is clear: They have a second chance — and they intend to fight for it.

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