Banyana Banyan head coach Dr Desiree Ellis says the return of attacker Gabriela Salgado was a big moment for the player and the team overall, considering the seriousness of the injury she had.
Salgado suffered a serious injury on her leg in semi-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations against Nigeria in Morocco last July. The JVW FC winger has returned to full fitness and played her first competitive match in Banyana’s 2-0 win over Malawi in her side’s 2025 COSAFA Women’s Championship opener on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old was a late sub in the Group A match in Polokwane with Ellis saying the applause the player received when she came on showed the magnitude of Salgado’s return to the team.
“I think Gabby coming up is a big boost for her and for the group as well because from where she’s come from,” said Ellis.
“You know when you come to play your first game there’s a lot nerves, you don’t get into the 50/50 situations.
“But we’ve seen that in training because she’s been training with her club since the pre-season started and it’s fantastic to have her back.
“You know when a player comes from injury we saw everybody clapping when she went on to the field because it’s a big moment having had such an injury less than a year ago.”