Defending champions South Africa will head into the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco from July 5-26 without star striker Thembi Kgatlana, with her withdrawal reportedly attributed to undisclosed personal reasons.
The squad, announced on Monday, ultimately contained few surprises - given that Kgatlana had already missed the pre-WAFCON training camp, and her omission from the final squad ultimately only served as final confirmation of what had been expected for some days.
Tigres UANL's Kgatlana missed much of WAFCON 2022 in the same host country after rupturing her achilles tendon in a group stage win over Botswana, but Banyana Banyana still won the tournament.
However, this time, they will be without both of their previous African Women's Footballer of the Year winners. Noko Matlou, who won the award in 2008, has retired, and Kgatlana, the 2018 winner, will miss the tournament altogether.
Sticking with an old winning formula
Of Banyana's 11 starters in the 2-1 WAFCON final win over Morocco in 2022, Matlou and Nomvula Kgoale are the only two who are not in Ellis' 26-player squad this year.
Of the squad that had been selected for the final pre-WAFCON preparations from June 19-22, only Shakira O'Malley (Western Michigan University) and Bongiwe Thusi (JVW FC) were cut for the final squad.
This tournament could well serve as a last dance for a team that led Banyana Banyana through its golden era, featuring the 2022 WAFCON crown and its first two World Cup appearances - a group stage exit in 2019 and a round of 16 appearance in 2023.
The tournament is set to be CF Monterrey's Jermaine Seoposenwe's last in Banyana Banyana colours. She, together with Club Tijuana's Hildah Magaia, will likely lead the line in Morocco. Magaia's Tijuana teammate, Amogelang Motau, is the other Mexican-based player in the squad.
The other players in the squad based outside of South Africa are star midfielder Linda Motlhalo (Glasgow City), Kgaelebane Mohlakoana (TP Mazembe), and Bongeka Gamede (FC Nordsjælland).
Serial South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns have the largest representation in the squad with a total of eight players: Andile Dlamini, Lebo Ramalepe, Tiisetso Makhubela, Bambanani Mbane, Nonhlanhla Mthandi, Noxolo Cesane, Nthabiseng Majiya and Karabo Dhlamini.
Former AC Milan and Sassuolo midfielder Refiloe Jane - now of TS Galaxy - will captain the side.
Banyana's road to repeat glory
Banyana have been placed in Group C for the delayed WAFCON 2024 tournament, where they will face Ghana on July 7, Tanzania on July 11 and Mali on July 14.
They are likely to have enough firepower to at the very least secure a top two spot in Group C that would see them automatically progress to the quarter-finals. The two best third-placed teams across three groups will advance along with the top two.
In an era which has seen the rapid development of African women's football and the reintegration of Barbra Banda into rivals Zambia's squad since she was controversially excluded from the last WAFCON; the question of whether or not Ellis' side has enough in the tank to defend their title in the absence of Kgatlana is a different question altogether.
Banyana Banyana squad:
GOALKEEPERS: Kaylin Swart, Andile Dlamini, Dineo Magagula, Casey Gordon
DEFENDERS: Lebohang Ramalepe, Fikile Magama, Gabriela Salgado, Tiisetso Makhubela, Bambanani Mbane, Karabo Dhlamini, Lonathemba Mhlongo, Bongeka Gamede
MIDFIELDERS: Sibulele Holweni, Linda Motlhalo, Nonhlanhla Mthandi, Refiloe Jane, Amogelang Motau, Regina Mogolola, Noxolo Cesane, Adrielle Mibe, Kgaelebane Mohlakoana
FORWARDS: Hildah Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Nthabiseng Majiya, Bonolo Mokoma, Ronnel Donnely