Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis believes the upcoming friendlies against Botswana and Zambia will be a good physical test for her players as they build up towards the delayed 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Ellis announced her squad on Friday for the Three-Nations series which takes place in South Africa and sees the return of Refiloe Jane, who missed the two encounters with Malawi last month.

However, Thembi Kgatlana has been omitted due to her club commitments with Tigres Femenil, although foreign-based septet Shakira O’Malley, Bongeka Gamede, Linda Motlhalo, Amogelang Motau, Hildah Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Kgaelebane Mohlakoana were all included in the party of 24.

Ellis’ side will face the Mares on May 28 before taking on the Copper Queens on June 3, with all the matches being held at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.

All three teams are set to compete at the African showpiece in Morocco which runs from 5-26 July, and Ellis believes their COSAFA rivals will provide an interesting challenge for her players.

“We are the highest-ranked team in the COSAFA region, but I don’t think that means anything. Being the WAFCON defending champions as well, I think that carries a bit of weight on your back with everybody wanting to play you and wanting to beat you and come up and put up the best performance,” Ellis said.

“But we also know that it’s a test not just for us but for them. We’re all going to the WAFCON. Botswana got to the quarter-finals, Zambia got to the semi-finals the last time.

“So the test is for us but just so much as it is for them, and I think the physicality that both of them are going to bring is something we sometimes struggle with.

“I think we’ve got to have more control and this will help us to see where we are with that. Defensively we’ve got to be sound and obviously at set-pieces we’re going to be challenged with the area that they have.

“The speed of both teams’ attack that they have, we’ve got to be able to then organise our defensive shape better because that is what’s going to happen at WAFCON.”