UDesiree Ellis ubalolela iAfrica Women’s Cup of Nations con abadlali bakhe

Iqela lesizwe lamanenekazi adlala ibhola ekhatywayo, aBanyana Banyana, libuyela enkomeni kwakhona emva kokuphumla ngenxa yeeholide zokuphela konyaka. UDesiree Ellis nabadlali bakhe babila besoma enkampini – apho balungiselela umdlalo wobuhlobo abaza kudibana kuwo neZambia emalanga eNkoloma Stadium. Ngokokutsho komqeqeshi, aBanyana Banyana baza kusebenzisa umdlalo wangempelaveki njengethuba lokulungiselela umdlalo ohlakulela iAfrica Women’s Cup of Nations (Awcon) abaza kudibana kuwo ne-Algeria kungekudala. Iqela lika-Ellis livale unyaka ka-2021 ngendlela encumisayo emva kokuba labethela ugqirha nezicala iMozambique ngemvula yamagowuli alishumi elinesithathu lonke.

Ukuba uDesiree Ellis neentombi zakhe bafuna ukuya kwi-Awcon, kunyanzelekile bayibethe iAlgeria emdlalweni wokugqibela ngomhla weshumi elinesibhozo kwiveki ezayo. Kwangaxeshanye, impumelelo iya kunceda uMzantsi Afrika ukwazi ukuzibekela indawo kwiFIFA World Cup. “Akukho mdlalo wobuhlobo phakathi kwethu neZambia. Kuhle ukudlala nayo ngoba siza kufumana ithuba lokubona amandla wabadlali bethu abatsha,” utshilo uEllis ethetha nabeendaba kule veki.

“Awungeke ukwazi ukuya kwisigaba esingasentla ukuba awubavavanyi abadlali. Ngaphambili besisoloko sisebenzisa imidlalo yeCosafa – kodwa sifumene lo siyakuwo umdlalo. Siyabazi abadlali beZambia abebedlale emidlalweni yeCosafa. Abanye babadlali beZambia, abafana noHildah Magaia, abakwazanga ukubuyela kumaqela aseYurophu. Ndingatsho ndithi umdlalo uza kuba nzima kakhulu,” utshilo uEllis obethelele kakhulu into yokubaluleka kokuzibekela indawo koMzantsi Afrika kwi-Awcon. “Into ephambili kuthi kukuzibekela indawo kwi-Awcon. Yiyo lo nto sifuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba yonke into ihamba kakuhle emdlalweni wangempelaveki,” utshilo uEllis. UMzantsi Afrika uza kudlala ngaphandle kwabadlali abafana noBongeka Gamede noLelona Daweti abonzakeleyo – kodwa uEllis uthe bakhona abaza kuthatha iindawo zabo.