Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis is confident that talismanic striker Thembi Kgatlana will be ready for the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand later in the year. 

Kgatlana has been recovering since she ruptured her Achilles tendon in Banyana Banyana’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) group match against Botswana in 2022. 

As a result, the 26-year-old missed the bulk of Banyana’s victorious 2022 Wafcon campaign but she is getting back to fitness with her club Racing Louisville in the US. 

“I chatted to Thembi in February and I also chatted to her again before we released the preliminary squad for the friendly against Serbia and she said she wasn’t ready to play yet,” said Ellis. 

“But she is training with the team. We don’t want to rush her because they have done fantastically with her. We believe that Thembi will be ready for the World Cup but we mustn’t rush anything and her club is not rushing anything.” 

Ellis said that they will offer all the necessary support but a lot depends on how hard she continues to work to reach full fitness. 

“All the hard work is down to Thembi, she has worked really hard to be where she is. Anticipated time was nine months and she did it in six months, it shows the character and the mindset she has.  

“We have been in constant contact and she also keeps in contact with the physical trainer just to give updates. We felt it best we don’t call her for Serbia, but to let her continue training with the team in this period to get ready for the next page of her recovery.” 

Kgatana’s unavailability has opened the door for highly-rated University of Pretoria attacker Wendy Shongwe who has impressed during the Hollywoodbets Super League. 

“She has the physicality and we have also seen that a couple of times she played at left-back. We are looking at those versatile players that can add a little bit more,” said Ellis about Shongwe. 

“I think Refiloe Jane has played in every position except goalkeeper and we know the quality that Wendy has. We have played Linda Motlhalo on the wing, behind the striker and as an attacking midfielder, so we are always looking for versatile players. 

“When you are selecting a squad, you look for that because it adds a little bit of value to the team. Some players are very good at one position but Wendy has shown her quality as a versatile player. 

“There are very few left-footers in the league and she is one of them and she will give Hilda Magaia some competition on the left. We need players to push each other to make the team better and become competitive. We always say that no one’s place is guaranteed.”