In spite of their lowly FIFA Women's rankings, there is a feeling in the country that Banyana Banyana could have done better at the World Cup and their next test will be crucial to gauge whether they are ready to make knockout stages a formality.
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Banyana reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time in their history and actually won a World Cup game for the first time too after they edged Italy 3-2 and earned respect in the women's game. They had especially impressed in that win over Italy. South Africa also nearly denied Sweden victory, in what was a stoppage time 2-1 loss.
Not many believed Desiree Ellis' charges can reach the knockout stages but their rapid rise has raised expectations, especially with the coach believing that they were capable of winning the World Cup.
"I think we'll look back, sitting in the sun, no longer in football, we will look back and say we could have won this (World Cup). When you look at the teams that were left and you look at how we performed, we had a chance like everyone else," Ellis said on Marawa Sports Worldwide.
"It was such an open World Cup, Spain won the World Cup but they lost 4-0 to Japan, that's why I'm saying it was such an open World Cup. USA struggled, Brazil didn't get out of the group, Germany didn't get out of the group.
"It was such an open World Cup that if you went on a run and you were consistent, there was that possibility and we knew that there was that possibility (of winning the World Cup)," she said.
With more interest in Banyana than ever before after their historic World Cup, they will get a big chance to make a statement or prove that they belong in the elite group in the world, when they play against United States of America, in two friendlies next month in Cincinnati on 21 September and in Chicago three days later.
READ: Odense To Suss Out Saleng's Pirates Value?USA will play Banyana in their first game after the World Cup, and they were knocked out on penalties in the round of 16 by Sweden, which was their earliest ever exit at a World Cup.
The Americans went to the World Cup seeking to become the first team to win three successive events and ranked first in the world but have since dropped down to third in the latest FIFA women rankings.
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