Sasol Banyana Banyana head coach, Dr Desiree Ellis has applauded her charges for a brave fightback after they rallied from two goals down to draw their CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) clash against Ivory Coast 2-2 at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Friday night.
The South Africans looked dead and buried at halftime, but Thembi Kgatlana and second half substitute Hildah Magaia struck towards the end of the encounter to earn the 2022 WAFCON champions their first point in the tournament. The result was enough to ensure that Banyana Banyana stayed alive in the competition with one group stage match remaining.
“We didn’t have a good first half, but what a fighting spirit in the second half and we could have won it in the end. The players showed a lot of resilience, a lot of character and that gives us a little bit of hope and momentum going into the last game of the group stages. The way we ended the second half against Ivory Coast is how we should start the game against Burkina Faso,” said Dr Ellis.
Banyana Banyana find themselves bottom of Group B after two rounds of play, with Ivory Coast leading the pack on four points, followed by Tanzania on three, level with the Burkinabe. In the final matches of the group stages, the top two teams face each other where a draw will see both progressing to the next round.
“All we can do is try to do our job, win the match and score some goals, and everything else is out of our hands. We must do what we can do, the other results are not up to us, but if we do that (win our game), we give ourselves a chance. We are still in it and when I look at the group, I think it’s a must-win for all four teams because you cannot ‘if’ and ‘but’, so all we can do is win, score a couple of goals and then wait for the final result in the match between Tanzania and Ivory Coast,” added Dr Ellis.
All the Group B matches will be played on Tuesday, (7 August 2026) at different venues, with both kicking off at 22h00 SA time. The 2026 edition of the WAFCON doubles up as a FIFA World Cup qualifier, and only the top four teams will book their tickets to Brazil in South America.
Dean Somerset, Manager: Group Brand and Sponsorships, Sasol: “Congratulations to the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana on a strong performance. The way the team controlled possession today reflected more than just tactical excellence. It showed purpose, determination and a clear desire to get a positive result. We are immensely proud of this team and all they represent.”
