Thembi Kgatlana scored the goal in the 1-0 win over Burkina Faso that sent Banyana Banyana through to the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-finals to face Morocco, but she spent much of the night with her arms up in frustration.
Sometimes, it may have been due to feeling annoyed with herself and other times with her teammates. One can only speculate about what precisely was going through her head, but what was clear was that on several occasions, the final pass needed for a goal simply was not arriving - whether it was from her to a teammate or the other way around.
Isabella Ludwig had two notable chances to score, one from a header and one on the stretch from a Kgatlana cut-back, but ultimately, she did not test the goalkeeper from either and Banyana scraped through courtesy of Kgatlana's 21st minute goal alone.
With ice in her veins, Kgatlana had done what she does best and found space in the right place at the right time when it was most needed. She calmly slotted home after receiving a through ball from Fikile Magama that was not properly cleared.
Midfielder Ludwig, it must be said, played with tenacity and caused problems for Burkina Faso with her movement and willingness to break up play. Still, she could not help the team find the crucial touch in the final third.
Ludwig and Mamelodi Sundowns teammate Ronnel Donnelly are two players capable of winning headers and creating opportunities for the likes of Kgatlana and Hildah Magaia from second balls.
Donnelly was viewed as a somewhat controversial inclusion in Ellis' squad, given that she has not yet clinched an undisputed starting spot at Sundowns.
However, she has come closest to providing what has been missing since the international retirement of Jermaine Seoposenwe after last year's WAFCON - although she has not yet proven she has similar goalscoring ability as the Monterrey star.
When South Africa face Morocco in Saturday's quarter-final against Morocco in Rabat, Donnelly should start upfront alongside Kgatlana if fully fit.
Ludwig has come close, but there quite simply has not been another player linking up the play for Banyana as well as she did in the last half-hour of the 2-2 draw with Ivory Coast, in which she assisted Magaia's crucial equaliser.
Regardless of who starts, Banyana Banyana will enter Saturday as underdogs. Kgatlana had predicted three years ago -- when South Africa were reigning champions -- that Moroccan women's football would surpass theirs if the structure of the game down to grassroots level was not upgraded.
Moments of individual brilliance from Kgatlana and others have at least ensured Banyana will have a fighting chance of securing an automatic semi-final spot and proving that Morocco have not surpassed them yet. However, they do not head into the match in the best shape they possibly could be as a team.
If Banyana lose to Morocco, then they will have to rely on an arduous playoff process. Two losing quarter-finalists will advance to the Inter-Confederation Playoffs in the hope of sneaking into Brazil.
Seoposenwe was one of the unsung heroes in an era of success which saw Banyana play in their first World Cup in 2019 and make the round of 16 in 2023. Her superb work linking up midfield and attack was noticeable at the time, but in her absence, the full extent of it has been revealed.