Defiant Desiree issues warning to Dutch about brave Banyana: They don't know who they'll play

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis said they know exactly who they're up against when the Netherlands come knocking on Sunday, but feels the Dutch may not know what lies in their way when the sides meet at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The round of 16 fixture is South Africa's first at this particular juncture in their second World Cup expedition while the Dutch are losing finalists from the 2019 edition in France.

While the Dutch were duly untroubled in their group, with their two wins against Portugal and Vietnam sandwiched by a draw against the defending champions the United States of America, Banyana's qualification was done the hard way.

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They lost 2-1 to Sweden after scoring first and let a two-goal lead slip against Argentina to draw the game 2-2.

They then bounced back from the concession of an early penalty and an equaliser to beat Italy 3-2 to qualify for this stage.

Ellis said her team has shown they've been able to bounce back from difficult situations to be where they are.

"We've been underestimated so many times before, yet this group has shown that nothing can stand in their way," Ellis said.

"This group has shown that when the chips are down, they can stand up. We know who we're playing, but they don't know who they are playing.

"When the chips have been down, this group has shown they can and will get better. All I can say is that there's going to be a match on Sunday."

Ellis said her charges know what's at stake and they're keeping their eye on the game prize because they can't look further than the game in front of them.

"They know what’s at stake and they know it's a final because you can't think