Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has admitted that Ghana's Black Queens were the better side in the second half of their 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) third-place playoff clash.
Ghana clinched bronze after edging South Africa 4-3 on penalties, having drawn 1-1 in regulation time.
The victory avenged their opening game loss to the reigning champions, who had beaten them 2-0 earlier in the tournament.
Speaking after the match, Ellis conceded that her side struggled to cope with Ghana's intensity after the break. "They came out counter pressing in the second half and most of the second half, especially in the first 15 minutes, we couldn't get our foot on the ball to slow the game down, to take control and a few crosses came in very close," she said. "They were just better than us in the second half⦠so congratulations to Ghana." The result marks Ghana's first WAFCON medal since 2016, with the Queens delivering their best tournament performance in nine years.
