Cosafa cup
Banyana get Cosafa Cup title defence under way with win over Malawi
The hosts scored in the second minute as forward Melinda Kgadiete got on the score sheet.
Bafana Bafana assistant coach Morena Ramoreboli, who was standing in for Helman Mkhalele, praised the players for fighting through the pain in the Cosafa Cup final against Senegal.
Ellis has made six changes to the squad that participated at the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup in France
South Africa have been drawn in Group D where they will face Morocco, Ivory Coast and Namibia.
The tournament will take place in Port Elizabeth from 12 to 22 September.
Midfielder Lebohang Maboe was the star of the show as he bagged a first-half brace and the man of the match award to give South Africa a shot at lifting silverware against Botswana in the final.
South Africa's Luther Singh and Jamie Webber missed their spot kicks, handing Madagascar the victory.
Stuart Baxter’s Bafana will have a bye in the first round of fixtures before joining the competition in the quarter final stages on 2 June.
Baxter says he will take a good enough team into the competition. The tournament starts on 27 May.
Ellis has been interim coach since August 2016 and under her leadership the team was awarded the African National Women’s Team of the Year Award last week.
The pair were withdrawn from the squad as they were not released by their respective clubs.
The Bafana coach is pleased with the progress his side has made.
Sports Minister has wished the team well ahead of the Cosafa Cup semifinal match against Zambia.
Bafana Bafana beat Namibia 2-1, reserving a spot in 2013 COSAFA Cup semifinal.
Bafana coach Gordon Igesund believes his young squad has what it takes to cause an upset in the Cosafa Cup.
Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund looks to develop new talent at the Cosafa Cup.