By Levy Masiteng
Defending Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) champions Banyana Banyana face arguably their toughest challenge yet when they take on tournament hosts Morocco in a high-stakes quarter-final at the Stade Prince Moulay El Hassan in Rabat on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 22:00 (SA time), with a place in the semi-finals and automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil on the line.
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The encounter rekindles one of African women’s football’s biggest rivalries.
Banyana famously defeated Morocco 2-1 in the 2022 WAFCON final to lift their maiden continental title, but this time they will have to overcome a passionate home crowd and an in-form Moroccan side eager for revenge.
Desiree Ellis’ side booked their place in the knockout stages after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in their final Group B match.
Veteran forward Thembi Kgatlana proved the difference, scoring the decisive goal that lifted South Africa from the bottom of the group into second place and secured a quarter-final showdown with the hosts.
Banyana relied on their experience and defensive resilience to get over the line in a tense contest, keeping their title defence alive.
Saturday’s clash carries enormous significance.
Victory would not only send Banyana into the WAFCON semi-finals but would also secure South Africa a direct place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. It would also keep Ellis’ team on course to successfully defend the continental crown they won in 2022.
Defeat, however, would end Banyana’s hopes of retaining their African title.
While they would miss out on automatic World Cup qualification, they would still have another opportunity to reach the global showpiece through the WAFCON play-in matches, where the winners advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.
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With experienced campaigners such as Kgatlana expected to lead from the front, Banyana will be aiming to produce another disciplined performance against a Moroccan side that has impressed throughout the tournament.
Having already shown their ability to rise to the occasion on the biggest stage, South Africa now has the opportunity to silence the home supporters once again and take another significant step towards defending their continental title.
