South Africa secured their place in the quarter-finals of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a determined 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in their final Group B match on Tuesday evening.
The decisive moment arrived in the 21st minute when Thembi Kgatlana finished from close range following an excellent move initiated by Fikile Magama, earning Banyana Banyana all three points and confirming their progression to the knockout stages.
Burkina Faso made the stronger start and came close to taking an early lead when Alimata Belem broke through on goal. However, the forward hesitated at the crucial moment, allowing the South African goalkeeper to recover and make a comfortable save.
South Africa gradually grew into the contest and nearly opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Isabella Ludwig rose highest to meet a cross but saw her well-placed header drift narrowly wide.
Just three minutes later, Banyana Banyana found the breakthrough. Magama delivered a perfectly weighted ball into the area, where Kgatlana calmly converted from close range to hand the defending champions a deserved lead.
Kgatlana remained a constant threat and almost doubled South Africa’s advantage in the 30th minute. Following a cleverly worked set-piece orchestrated by Refilwe Jane, the forward turned brilliantly inside the box before firing narrowly over the crossbar.
Burkina Faso returned after the break with greater urgency, pressing for an equaliser that would keep their tournament hopes alive. However, South Africa’s disciplined and well-organised defence stood firm, restricting their opponents to few clear-cut chances and preserving a valuable clean sheet.
Other WAFCON Results
In the evening’s other Group B encounter, Côte d’Ivoire claimed top spot in the group with a 2-1 victory over Tanzania at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
Meanwhile, Algeria booked their place in the quarter-finals after defeating Kenya 2-0, securing second place in Group A behind hosts Morocco.
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