Banyana Banyana vs Burkina Faso: Must-win WAFCON clash

A critical clash against Burkina Faso awaits Banyana Banyana, but the bigger question is whether they can rise to the occasion when everything is on the line.

OPINION

Mzansi, the pressure is rising. Banyana Banyana’s dreams are hanging in the balance and they now face a moment that will test their character.

South Africa have experienced an underwhelming start to their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) campaign, failing to register a victory in their opening two matches. What was expected to be a confident push towards the knockout stages has instead become a contest for survival, with their fate now depending on how they fare against Burkina Faso.

This is the type of moment that defines teams. It’s not only about talent, but the ability to stand up when it counts. 

The pressure is on

The pressure could hardly be higher for Banyana. With just one game left in the group stage, South Africa know there is no margin for error when they face Burkina Faso on Tuesday. After failing to secure a win in either of their opening two Group B matches, victory is now the only result that will keep their Wafcon quarter-final hopes alive.

It is a do-or-die situation, the kind of challenge every ambitious team eventually faces – although, ideally, it would be in the later stages of the tournament.

Even a win, however, will not be enough. South Africa will also have to hope the outcome of the Côte d’Ivoire versus Tanzania clash goes their way.

The task at hand

This is where matters become a little tricky for Banyana. The group standings have turned the final round of fixtures into a serious numbers game, with every point and result making a difference. 

South Africa currently sit at the bottom of Group B, with just one point. Tanzania are in third place on three points; Burkina Faso occupy second spot with three points; and Côte d’Ivoire lead the group with four points.

The final fixtures have set up a fascinating finish. Banyana will go head-to-head with Burkina Faso and Tanzania will face group leaders Côte d’Ivoire in the other decisive clash.

The first step is non-negotiable: Banyana must beat Burkina Faso. A draw or defeat will end South Africa’s Wafcon campaign and their hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals. But even a victory doesn’t guarantee qualification.

If Côte d’Ivoire beat Tanzania, South Africa will advance to the knockout stages. But if this match ends in a draw, Banyana and Tanzania will both finish on four points. In that scenario, Tanzania would progress because they hold the head-to-head advantage after beating South Africa 2-1 in their match.

If both South Africa and Tanzania win, Banyana and Côte d’Ivoire will each finish on four points. Qualification will then be decided on goal difference. South Africa currently have a goal difference of -1, compared to Côte d’Ivoire’s +3, meaning Banyana would need a significant swing in goals to finish above the Ivorians.

In short, beating Burkina Faso is only part of the job. Banyana must first take care of their own business, then hope the result of the other match works in their favour.

How they got here

Banyana did not find themselves in this position because they were outplayed. They did it to themselves.

Against Tanzania, South Africa controlled much of the game and created enough chances to win, but poor finishing and defensive mistakes proved costly. Coach Desiree Ellis even admitted that her side had “made life difficult” for themselves by conceding two poor goals.

The problems continued against Côte d’Ivoire. Banyana once again found themselves chasing the game after falling two goals behind before fighting back to earn a draw. The comeback showed character, but it also highlighted a worrying trend: this team has made things tougher than they needed to be.

That’s why there’s no room for another slow start or avoidable mistakes against Burkina Faso. 

On the plus side, this Banyana team has shown they can turn desperate situations towards opportunities. 

Their comeback against Côte d’Ivoire is proof. After going 2-0 down, their fighting spirit helped them to claw their way back to a 2-2 draw, keeping their knockout-stage hopes alive.

Banyana are not strangers to pressure. Remember the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup? South Africa found themselves under pressure after a heartbreaking defeat to Sweden and a disappointing draw against Argentina, despite leading 2-0. With their hopes of reaching the knockout stages on the line, they needed a result against Italy in their final group match.

They delivered when it mattered most. Banyana fought back in a dramatic 3-2 victory to secure their place in the last 16 of a World Cup for the first time. That was a moment that showed the team’s ability to handle pressure on the biggest stage.

Now, they face another defining moment against Burkina Faso. The circumstances are different, but the demand is the same: find a way to perform when the stakes are highest.