South Africa’s Banyana Banyana have been knocked out of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Nigeria on Tuesday night in Morocco.
The defending champions looked set to push the match into extra time with the scores tied at 1-1. But in the dying moments of stoppage time, Michelle Alozie scored the winning goal for Nigeria, ending South Africa’s dream of back-to-back titles.
“It’s a very painful result. The players gave everything. To lose like this, right at the end, it’s heartbreaking,” said Banyana coach Desiree Ellis after the match.
The match was also marked by a worrying injury to South African forward Gabriela Salgado, who went down late in the game. Players from both teams appeared shaken by the incident.
Banyana Banyana will now fight for third place on Friday against the loser of the second semi-final between Ghana and hosts Morocco.
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South Africa had a strong run in the tournament. They beat Ghana 2-0 in their opening match, drew 1-1 with Tanzania, and thrashed Mali 4-0. In the quarter-finals, they defeated Senegal 4-1 on penalties after a goalless draw, thanks to two saves by goalkeeper Andile Dlamini.
South Africa won the WAFCON title for the first time in 2022, beating Morocco 2-1 in the final. Before that, they had reached the final four many times but never won the trophy.
Despite this year’s disappointment, South Africa continues to grow in women’s football. At the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, they made it to the knockout stages for the first time in history—an achievement their male counterparts, Bafana Bafana, are yet to match.
“We’re still proud of how far we’ve come. This team has shown character, and we’ll keep pushing forward,” said Ellis.