Banyana Banyana went down 1-0 to hosts Equatorial Guinea in a Group A fixture at the 8th CAF African Women Football Championship 2012, played in wet conditions in front of 15 000-red clad home fans at the Malabo Stadium on Sunday, 28 October 2012.
The hosts took the lead in the 38th minute when striker Gloria Chinasa rose high in the Banyana Banyana penalty area, to collect a cross from the right and head home, wide of a diving SA goalkeeper Thoko Mndaweni.
Rain throughout the day, turned the Malabo stadium pitch into a mud-bath with the hosts having the better of the chances in the first half.
Midfielder Refiloe Jane played her heart out in tackling and winning possession in the Banyana Banyana midfield, in a bid to supply quality opportunities to strikers Portia Modise and Andisiwe Mgcoyi.
The match was marred by University of Johannesburg star Noko Matlou being fouled early in the second half and taken to hospital with a suspected neck injury.
Matlou was replaced by Cape Town Roses attacker Jermaine Seoposenwe, who had few opportunities on the ball in the wet conditions.
Seoposenwe was in the thick of the action with eight minutes to go, in taking on two defenders and powered her way into the Equatorial Guinea penalty area, but slipped in the muddy conditions.
Left-back defender Nothando Vilakazi was again a pillar of strength in the Banyana Banyana rearguard while striker Portia Modise always looked for work on attacked. In the latter stages, the experienced Modise switched play cleverly for Durban Ladies striker Silindile Ngubane (on for Zamandosi Cele) to raid down the right flank.
Banyana Banyana will face Senegal in Malabo on October 31, and will leave the island and travel to Bata for their final group encounter with DR Congo on November 3.
The semi-finals will take place in either Malabo or Bata on November 7, with the 3rd/4th place playoff and the title decider both scheduled for Malabo on November 11.
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