The South African senior women's national team secured a memorable 1-0 victory over Japan in an international friendly in Osaka on Tuesday, bouncing back impressively from a 5-0 defeat suffered against the same opponents just days earlier.
Japan are currently ranked fifth in the world and remain one of the strongest teams in women's football, making the result one of the most notable in Banyana's history. South Africa recently climbed to 57th in the FIFA rankings and remain Africa's second-highest-ranked side behind Nigeria.
Reflecting on the achievement, Ellis said the result was a sign that the team was moving in the right direction as preparations for WAFCON gather momentum.
"I think this, if I'm not mistaken, is the first win against a top-10 nation, and what a way to do it," Ellis said after the match.
"They've just recently come off a series against the US, where they also beat the US in one of the games. So it says we're on the right track, but we have to stay humble."
The four-time CAF Women's Coach of the Year stressed that the victory should serve as motivation rather than a reason for complacency.
"We have to make sure that we use this as a springboard to get bigger and better. We have to make sure that the lessons from this continue and that we keep improving as individuals and as a team," she added.
Ellis reiterated that the Japanese tour was always intended to provide the squad with valuable experience against elite opposition ahead of the continental showpiece.
The coach also praised goalkeeper Kaylin Swart, who produced several crucial saves to help preserve South Africa's lead and secure a famous clean sheet.
"I think that first save in the opening 22 seconds really set the tone. When she was called upon, she was there to make the save," Ellis said.
South Africa have been drawn in Group B at WAFCON alongside Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Tanzania. Banyana will open their campaign against Tanzania on 25 July as they look to reclaim the continental title.
