Thembi Kgatlana and Hildah Magaia Spark Banyana Banyana Fightback in Casablanca
Sasol Banyana Banyana fought back from two goals down to snatch a dramatic 2-2 draw with Côte d’Ivoire in their second Group B match of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, on Friday, 31 July 2026.
Head coach Dr Desiree Ellis made four changes from the Tanzania defeat, handing the gloves to Kaylin Swart and drafting in Antonia Maponya, Fikile Magama and Nthabiseng Majiya, but it was the West Africans who seized control of the first half through their teenage pairing.
Grace Sery struck in the 18th minute, racing clear on a swift counter to finish past Swart, and doubled the lead in similar fashion in the 36th, with both goals created by fellow 18-year-old N’Sira Ouédraogo.
In between, Bongeka Gamede headed a 20th-minute chance over the crossbar, and Thembi Kgatlana was denied in a one-on-one by goalkeeper Aramatou Diakité just before the interval. In a twist, the Ivorian teenagers are club teammates of Gamede at Danish side FC Nordsjaelland.
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Ellis acted at the break, sending on Hildah Magaia for Majiya, and turned to Lebohang Ramalepe and Ronnel Donnelly around the hour mark as South Africa laid siege to the Ivorian goal.
The pressure told in the 71st minute. Captain Refiloe Jane picked out Kgatlana, who cut inside Aicha Fofana and beat Aramatou Diakité with an unstoppable strike to halve the deficit.
Magaia thought she had levelled in added time only for the offside flag to intervene, but the substitute would not be denied, racing onto Donnelly’s headed pass to slam home the equaliser nine minutes into stoppage time.
“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 Ellis.
The point leaves Banyana Banyana bottom of Group B, with Côte d’Ivoire leading on four points and Tanzania and Burkina Faso level on three after the Burkinabe beat the Twiga Stars 2-1 on Friday.
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The final round kicks off simultaneously at 22h00 SA time on Tuesday, 4 August 2026, at different venues, South Africa meeting Burkina Faso while Tanzania face Côte d’Ivoire, and the 2022 champions must win to keep alive their hopes of the quarter-finals and a place among the four semi-finalists bound for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
“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,” said Sasol Banyana Banyana Head Coach, Dr Desiree Ellis
“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 Ellis.
The Sasol Banyana Banyana WAFCON 2026 Group B Campaign
Mon 27 July: South Africa 1-2 Tanzania
Fri 31 July: South Africa 2-2 Côte d’Ivoire
Tue 4 August, 22h00: South Africa vs. Burkina Faso
All times CAT
South Africa Starting XI
1 Kaylin Swart (Goalkeeper)
24 Antonia Maponya
7 Karabo Dhlamini
13 Bambanani Mbane
5 Fikile Magama
3 Bongeka Gamede
15 Refiloe Jane (Captain)
10 Linda Motlhalo
23 Nthabiseng Majiya
6 Noxolo Cesane
11 Thembi Kgatlana
South Africa Substitutes Used
2 Hildah Magaia
8 Lebohang Ramalepe
24 Ronnel Donnelly
Côte d’Ivoire Starting XI
1 Aramatou Diakite (Goalkeeper)
3 Aboa Katchi Yapo
5 Mariam Diakite
6 Bernadette Amani Kakounan (Captain)
10 Rebecca Elloh
11 N’Sira Ouedraogo
12 Rosemonde Kouassi
15 Anastasie Gbehi
19 Inès Konan
25 Aicha Fofana
26 Grace Sery
Original Copy: SAFA, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Thembi Kgatlana takes the game to Côte d’Ivoire in Sasol Banyana Banyana’s 2-2 WAFCON 2026 draw, the forward crowning a relentless display with an unstoppable 71st-minute strike that sparked the fightback from two goals down at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, on Friday, 31 July 2026. All Photos: SAFA
Photo 2 Caption: Linda Motlhalo and Nthabiseng Majiya press the advantage after dispossessing Côte d’Ivoire captain Bernadette Amani Kakounan.
Crédito: Link de origem