Banyana Banyana will have to produce their best performance of the tournament when they take on hosts Morocco in a high-stakes CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-final on Saturday, with a place in the semi-finals and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil at stake.
Desiree Ellis’ side has battled to reach the knockout stages and, despite progressing, their performances have raised concerns.
The South African senior women’s national team has looked disjointed and far from the fluent side that lifted the continental title in 2022, meaning they will need a significant improvement if they are to eliminate the tournament hosts.
Banyana finished second in Group B with four points after recovering from a disappointing start to the competition.
Their campaign began with a 2-1 defeat to Tanzania before they fought back from two goals down to earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Côte d’Ivoire. They then secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso on Tuesday night, with Thembi Kgatlana scoring the decisive goal to book South Africa’s place in the last eight. Thembi Kgatlana Desiree Ellis
Although the victory over Burkina Faso ensured qualification, the performance again exposed areas that need improvement. Banyana struggled to control possession for long periods and created few clear-cut opportunities, relying on their experience and defensive resilience to protect their slender lead.
Standing in their way are a confident
Moroccan side that has enjoyed an impressive group-stage campaign in front of passionate home support. The Atlas Lionesses opened the tournament with a commanding 4-0 victory over Kenya before playing to a 1-1 draw against Algeria. They wrapped up the group stage with another convincing win, defeating Senegal 2-0 to finish top of Group A and qualify unbeaten for the quarter-finals.
Morocco have been among the tournament’s standout teams, combining a solid defence with an attack that has consistently troubled opponents. Backed by thousands of home supporters in Rabat, they will start the quarter-final as favourites.
For South Africa, the challenge will be to rediscover the form and fighting spirit that saw them crowned African champions four years ago. Ellis will expect experienced players such as Kgatlana, Linda Motlhalo, Bambanani Mbane and Refiloe Jane to lead from the front in what promises to be one of the biggest tests of Banyana’s campaign.
A victory would not only send South Africa into the WAFCON semi-finals but would also secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, making Saturday’s encounter one of the most important matches in the team’s recent history.
