By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Banyana Banyana head coach Desire Ellis has been named CAF Women’s Coach of the Year for a third time.
Ellis, a former Banyana player, replaced Vera Pauw on an interim basis in 2016 while the South African Football Association (SAFA) searched for a replacement.
She remained in the job for nearly two years before SAFA offered her the full-time job as Banyana head coach.
Ellis guided Banyana to the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final – losing on penalties to Nigeria – and qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in the national team’s history.
In 2019, Ellis retained the Women’s Coach of the Year gong (announced in January 2020) – and with the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc in 2020 and 2021 – Thursday’s award made her feat in Morocco a third successive one.
The Cape Town-born Ellis and Banyana already repeated their feat of 2018 by securing their ticket to the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
And on Saturday, Ellis will again be at a Women’s Afcon final as her Banyana charges come face-to-face against host nation Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Kick-off will be at 22:00 (SA time).
WOMEN
Player of the Year
Asisat Oshoala (NGR)
Club Player of the Year
Evelyn Badu (Avaldsnes/NOR, formerly Sekondi Hasaacas/GHA)
Young Player of the Year
Badu
Coach of the Year
Desiree Ellis (RSA).