Banyana Banyana head coach Dr Desiree Ellis has stated that despite being defending champions, South Africa view themselves as contenders at this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking to the media before the team’s departure, Ellis affirmed her team’s belief that they will be challenging for the title just like everyone else and that history has no role to play at the tournament.

“We’re going there as defending champions, but more importantly we’re going there as a contender, like everyone else. What happened in the past is in the past really. It’s a new tournament, the game has evolved, countries have evolved,” said Ellis.

Banyana Banyana claimed the title of African champions at the last edition of the tournament under Ellis’ leadership, defeating hosts Morocco 2-1 in the final.

Now returning to the country where they secured the trophy, Ellis believes that a positive start to the tournament will be crucial if her side is to succeed in winning back-to-back titles.

“Like we said in 2018, the first game is the most important. In 2022, the first game was the most important, because it set the tone for the rest of the tournament,” she said.

“It also sets the tone where we can rotate players and make sure that when it gets to the later stages of the tournament, you know that the players are fresh.”

“We’re still defending champions, but we’re not putting too much pressure on ourselves, because everyone that’s going there is a contender, and we are one of the contenders.”

Banyana Banyana will begin their WAFCON title defence against Ghana at the Honneur Stadium in Oudja on 7 July.