Ellis s ticks to Banyana star

Banyana Banyana interim coach Desiree Ellis has pointed to the quality she saw in Nwabisa Kolisi as the main reason she decided to recall the City Lads forward for the third time in a row up to the national team.

Kolisi from Port Elizabeth is currently playing in the Sasol League for City Lads and is one of the league’s top goalscorers having scored more than 10 goals in the last six games they have played so far this season.

Ellis was very relaxed and confident with the preparations ahead of their campaign.

“We have given them programmes when they were out of camp and some of the players have been playing at their teams like Kolisi so their level of fitness should be a little bit high.

“Nwabisa has been to two camps already and she is part of our plans as we are finalising what we going to do with the team.

“We have previously called Nwabisa twice because we saw something in her obviously the reason we have called up again she showed a lot of quality in the last camp and we are hoping it will get better by the time we get to the tournament,” said Ellis.

Kolisi reported for camp yesterday and could not express the excitement inside her as she finally made the squad after two call-ups without being picked.

“I was so happy when I heard I had made the team as I have been working so hard for this and today it felt good walking into camp knowing I made the team.

“I was always confident that someday I would get called again and not just for the camp but to be in final 18 and now it has happened.

“I have been improving my skills at my team in PE and since I last played in the Banyana squad in 2014 I’m hoping to make a good impression during this game so I can solidify my place in the squad.”

Kolisi said she had to make a lot of sacrifices in order to make it this far. “As we only gym once a day in the team I would have to gym twice so that when I get here I would be at the same fitness level.”

Banyana previously won the tournament in 2002‚ 2006 and 2008.

Yesterday the squad assembled in Johannesburg to start their preparations for the 2017 Cosafa Women’s Championships to be held in Zimbabwe between September 13-24.

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