WeeklySA_AdminROAD TO MOROCCO: African champions South Africa believe two high-profile friendlies against world-ranked Japan will provide the ideal benchmark as they fine-tune preparations for next month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations…
By Own Correspondent
Sasol Banyana Banyana will face one of the toughest assignments in women’s football when they take on Japan in the first of two international friendlies in Osaka on Saturday, with coach Dr Desiree Ellis viewing the encounter as a crucial test ahead of next month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The African champions are in Japan for a two-match series against the fifth-ranked Nadeshiko Japan, a team renowned for its technical excellence and possession-based style of play. The second fixture will be played on Tuesday.
Ellis believes the matches offer South Africa an opportunity to measure their progress against one of the world’s leading football nations while preparing for the challenge of defending their continental crown.
“We’re playing against a top side, Asian champions and also World Cup winners,” said Ellis.
“We have grown as a team, and your level is where we are trying to reach. We’ve played a lot of African teams that have been physical over the last two years and now we get an opportunity to play against a team with a different style as we prepare for WAFCON.”
Your (Japan) level is where we are trying to reach. We are hoping
to get something good out of this game that we can use at WAFCON…
— Banyana coach Desiree Ellis
The two nations have enjoyed contrasting but equally impressive journeys in recent years. Japan won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2011 and remain one of the strongest sides in the global game, while Banyana Banyana captured their maiden WAFCON title in 2022 and have established themselves among Africa’s elite.
Ellis believes exposure to different styles of football is essential if South Africa is to continue growing and achieve its long-term ambition of becoming a regular FIFA Women’s World Cup contender.
“We’re hoping that we can get something good out of this game to be able to use when we go to WAFCON. Football evolves and teams analyse each other. We want to play teams that challenge us in different ways so that we have solutions when those challenges arise,” she said.
Japan enter the series under new coach Michihisa Kano, who was appointed in April and has already overseen three matches against the United States. Despite losing two of those encounters, the Japanese remain one of the most respected teams in women’s football. Also known as Nadeshiko Japan, the hosts became the first Asian team to win the FIFA Women’s World Cup when they lifted the trophy in 2011.
Just last month, Banyana Banyana faced Algeria in Durban in back-to-back friendly games, with coach Dr Desiree Ellis’ charges winning both. The South Africans have a full complement of the 23 players that were selected by Dr Ellis last week. They were joined by Scotland-based midfielder Linda Motlhalo and defender Bongeka Gamede, who plies her trade in Denmark, in Dubai while en route to Osaka. Meanwhile, for striker Thembi Kgatlana, the trip to Japan represents an important opportunity to assess where South Africa stands against world-class opposition.
“I’m pretty excited and the team is also excited to be playing against Japan,” said Kgatlana.
“We always want to play against the best teams in the world to measure ourselves, to see where the progress is and how far we are from where we want to be.” The forward, who missed South Africa’s April friendlies against Algeria because of injury, is set to make her first Banyana appearance of 2026.
Kgatlana believes the matches will provide valuable lessons before WAFCON, particularly with the tournament’s demanding schedule likely to mirror the quick turnaround between the two Japan fixtures.
“It was important for us to play a highly ranked team like Japan so that we can prepare mentally, emotionally, physically and technically,” she said.
“We see the two games we have in Japan in a few days, which is also a model that we’re going to use at WAFCON. It’s important for us to see how we adapt and how we can arrive in Morocco in a better condition.”
Saturday’s clash kicks off at 08:50 South African time at the Yanmar Hanasaka Stadium in Osaka, where Banyana Banyana completed their final preparations today.
