Banyana Banyana beat Burkina Faso 2-0 in the second leg of their Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier at the Lucas Moripe Stadium to secure their place at next year’s tournament on a 3-1 average in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, on Monday, 4 December, 2024.
Banyana went into the game needing a positive result to ensure they booked their ticket to Morocco for the soccer showpiece in 2024. As current WAFCON champions, Ellis’ team needed to ensure they got the better of Burkina Faso to defend their title.
The first real chance of the match fell to the visitors as Juliette Nana made a storming run and was one-on-one with Kaylin Swart but the keeper stood her ground and made a brave save to ensure her team didn’t concede a goal.
Hildah Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe, and Thembi Kgatlana all had opportunities to score for Banyana but the trio failed to find the back of the net in the first half as the teams went into the break at 0-0.
Soon after the second period resumed Banyana made their intent clear and Noxolo Cesane took a strong shot at goal, but it was saved. The breakthrough finally came from a 56th-minute penalty, when Ramalepe crossed the ball into the box and onto the hand of a Burkina Faso defender. Linda Motlhalo stepped up to take the shot, she calmly netted the goal to give her team the all-important lead.
Substitute Nicole Michael almost doubled the lead but her first touch let her down as her shot went over the bar. South Africa’s hearts were in their mouths moments later, as Yasso Konate almost equalised for her team, but it was again Swart who came to the rescue.
Michael finally got her goal in the 86th minute as she picked up on a Kholosa Biyana pass and got that all-important second goal for Banyana sealing a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Ellis and her team will be pleased that the their final match of 2024 ended in victory. Their next game will be on 19 February 2024, where they will travel to take on Tanzania for their first-leg 2024 Olympic qualifier.
Throughout the match, all eyes were on stalwart Janine van Wyk, who – after being named in the starting line-up, became Africa’s most capped football player, making her 185th appearance for South Africa.
The former South African skipper equalled Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan’s record for the most appearances in the first leg where Banyana and Burkina Faso played to a 1-1 draw at the Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro, in Ivory Coast, on Thursday last week.
Van Wyk – one of ten #GAL2023 recipients at gsport’s Annual List of Newsmakers event on Friday, spent just seven minutes on the field before she was replaced by Lebohang Ramalepe, the former Banyana captain walked off to hugs from her teammates as well as opponents.
Speaking on SABC Sport’s X account before the game coach Desiree Ellis talked about the priceless impact that Van Wyk has made on women’s soccer.
“I think Janine has given her all, she wears her heart on her sleeve, she’s been very committed and has worked hard. It (the record) is well deserved, not just for Janine but for women’s football in South Africa and on the continent. It’s very important for the South African Football Association too, to not only have the highest capped African player but also the highest scorer on the African continent.”
Van Wyk joins fellow record breaker Portia Modise, who is the highest scorer on the continent.
Main Photo Caption: Hilda Magaia in action for Banyana Banyana, who have beaten Burkina Faso 2-0 in the second-leg of their African Cup of Nations qualifier on Monday 4 December 2024 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium to secure their place at next year’s tournament after sealing a 3-1 aggregate victory. Photo: Banyana Banyana on X
Photo 2 Caption: Jermaine Seoposenwe (right) congratulates Linda Motlhalo after she opened scoring for Banyana Banyana from a 56th minute penalty. Photo: Banyana Banyana on X
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