Brave Banyana Sink Senegal

Banyana Banyana striker Andisiwe Mgcoyi scored the only goal of the match against Senegal to keep her team’s CAF African Women Championship 2012 title hopes alive in Group A action at the Malabo stadium on Wednesday, 31 October 2012.

The tall Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies (Sasol League Gauteng) player finished off a good move after a period of extensive Banyana Banyana pressure in the 70th minute, to give the South Africans a hard-fought and much-needed win after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to hosts Equatorial Guinea at the same venue.

The Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana will leave the island for the mainland on Thursday, 1 November 2012, to prepare for their final Group A, fixture, against the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Bata on Saturday, 3 November 2012.

This was Senegal’s second defeat in the tournament, having gone down 1-0 to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday.

Fielding an attack-minded formation, the South Africans had too much pace on the flanks for Senegal, with Nothando Vilakazi – moved from left back defender to left wing for the match – causing lot of trouble among the Senegalese defenders.

Against Senegal, Banyana Banyana’s midfield dominated possession and the South Africans could have had a healthy advantage by half-time. In the seventh minute, the livewire Mgcoyi latched on to a superb through-ball to beat the Senegalese offside but saw her attempted lob going narrowly wide with the advancing goalkeeper Mariane Fall well beaten.

Portia Modise, playing her 100th international game, was in attacking mood, but was also thwarted by some good goalkeeping by Fall.

In the second half, Banyana Banyana head coach Joseph Mkhonza continued his offensive approach with Bloemfontein Celtics Ladies (Sasol League Free State) striker Sanah Mollo and Durban Ladies (Sasol League KwaZulu Natal) goal-hungry Silindile Ngubane – on for Noko Matlou and Nocawe Skiti respectively – playing key roles in forcing the Senegalese side back into their own half for long periods of play.
 
Spurs WFC (Sasol League Western Cape) speedster Jermaine Seoposenwe – on for Mgcoyi in the final minutes of the match – also looked dangerous on the attack.