Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis has expressed regret for her team’s missed opportunities in the first leg of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final-round qualifier against Burkina Faso.

In a post-match interview, Ellis bemoaned the slow start from her side and a lack of cutting edge in the final third.

“I thought we started a bit slow, then we got into the game and created a few chances,” she said. “We had a couple of opportunities, and then we scored in the second half before making a mistake, and they scored.”

Banyana, who are the defending champions, will now have to slug it out with the West Africans in the second leg back home.

Ellis felt that her team should have won the tie in the first leg away from home.

“We kept giving the ball away in areas where they could punish us. We got to be better [in the second leg]. It is all to play for back at home; we got an away goal,” Ellis said.“We could have sealed this game and taken the lead back to South Africa. We could have gotten a win, but an away goal is crucial.”

Meanwhile, Banyana striker Hildah Magaia, who scored the game’s only goal, said her team expected an easy match but didn’t know how Burkina Faso would play.

“We expected an easy game, but obviously we didn’t know how they would play exactly, but the game wasn’t easy. I believe when we go home, we will beat them,” Magaia said.

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Banyana will host Burkina Faso next week on Monday at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in South Africa.