SYDNEY, Aug 6, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - South Africa coach Desiree Ellis appealed
Sunday to the government and sponsors to step up if women's football in the
country is to push on after the team's historic World Cup run.

The African champions won a World Cup game for the first time in stunning
Italy 3-2 to seal a landmark place in the last 16 in Australia and New
Zealand.

Their run came to an end in a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands in Sydney, but
they gave the 2019 finalists numerous scares, especially in the first half.

"To the sponsors: I don't know how you can ignore something special like
this," said Ellis, who felt her team had enough chances in the opening 45
minutes to have been out of sight.

"I don't know how you can't assist in getting us to climb up the ladder and
assist in getting us better."

Ellis said there were players in her squad who still had full-time jobs
outside football and called for South Africa to establish a professional
league.

"What this team has achieved, I think the corporate world needs to stand up
and really take notice and be counted," she said.

"Otherwise we will come back in four years' time and go through the same
thing... we could have gone further.

"When I looked at how the World Cup was going (with surprise results), the
possibility of us winning it was there.

"So we urge the corporates to assist here. We urge the government even to
step in and assist and push the corporates to come on board.

"It's not just our senior team, it's our youth teams as well -- there's no
sponsors."

South Africa, who were squeezed out 2-1 by Sweden and drew 2-2 with Argentina
in the group stage, had half a dozen chances in the first half against the
Dutch.

But together with some wasteful finishing, they found goalkeeper Daphne van
Domselaar in unbeatable form.

"We spoke about underdogs yesterday, I don't think there's underdogs in this
World Cup," said Ellis, whose players were given a warm reception by the
Sydney Football Stadium crowd on a lap of honour at the end.

"The whole of South Africa should be very proud of this team.

"I know everybody got up early in the morning (back home) and expected
victory.

"We are proud -- disappointed of course -- but proud of the players," she
added.