South Africa coach Desiree Ellis has stated that her team will put up a good fight when they take on Nigeria in the first leg of their 2024 Olympic Qualifiers fixture, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria welcome reigning African champions South Africa to the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Friday for the first leg of their Paris 2024 Olympics qualifiers. With the Olympics ticket at stake, both teams will be looking to unleash their entire arsenal to emerge on top.
In the early 2000s, the game would have been a stroll in the park for the Super Falcons, but the Banyana Banyana have bridged that gap over the years, and they would be looking to defeat Nigeria just like they have in their last two meetings.
Ahead of the fixture, South Africa manage Ellis has been quite bullish and she insists that they are desperate to get a good result.
“It’s been a good stay in Nigeria, for us. The game is important for us and Nigeria, it is do or die,” Ellis said, per Soccernet.ng.
“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, it’s that crucial. It can’t be any other way. It is two games, and the best results over the two games goes through to the Olympic games.
The last time South Africa qualified for the Olympics was 2016, but the Super Falcons have not played in the competition since 2008. As such, it promises to be an enthralling fixture.
After both teams meet in Abuja on Friday, they will lock horns in South Africa for the second leg on April 9.