Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis named her squad for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) last week and while there were some notable absentees, there are also fresh faces.
Ellis’ team has three players who have made it to the WAFCON squad for the first time and will all hope to impress before the team is whittled down on June 23 ahead of the trip to Morocco where South Africa will be looking to defend their title.
Banyana Banyana will be without superstar Thembi Kgatlana who was excluded from the squad for personal reasons and there is optimism that the fresh faces will provide the necessary quality.
Adrielle Mibe
Aged just 18, University of Johannesburg forward Adrielle Mibe is among those hoping to fill the big shoes of Kgatlana at WAFCON where goals will be needed in plenty.
Mibe recently scored her first goal for Banyana Banyana in their 3-2 win over Botswana at the Three Nations Series and she will hope to maintain that form heading to WAFCON to make it into the final squad.
The Johannesburg-born star plays on the left wing and is good on one-on-one situations, was part of the South Africa U17 team that won the 2022 COSAFA Cup and was voted Young Player of the Year at University of Johannesburg in 2023.
Ronnel Donnelly
University of Western Cape striker Ronnel Donnelly is another first timer who has made it to the squad and brings a different dynamic to the attack.
Blessed with pace, great shooting ability and power, the 21-year-old will hope to light up WAFCON and is perhaps one of the beneficiaries of Kgatlana’s absence from the team given she plays in the same position as the Mexican-based forward.
Donnelly has been to the international stage already, having featured in the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League, which will serve her well if she makes the cut to the final squad.
Lonathemba Mhlongo
Another University of Western Cape player who has earned a place in the WAFCON squad for the first time is Lonathemba Mhlongo.
She is not new to the squad, having been part of the national team since 2021, but will be making her WAFCON debut this year if she is selected into the final squad.
The 22-year-old, who represented South Africa at the 2018 U17 World Cup, has played in a number of friendly matches and also started all three games for her club at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.
