South Africa’s Banyana Banyana claimed an emphatic 4-0 victory over Mali in their final Group C match at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco on Monday night.
The defending champions wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Lebohang Ramalepe opening the scoring in the fifth minute at Stade d’Honneur. Captain Refiloe Jane then doubled the lead with a stunning 32nd-minute free-kick, putting South Africa firmly in control before halftime.
Hildah Magaia extended the advantage in the 61st minute with a composed finish, before Ronnel Donnelly sealed the win in the 79th minute, slotting in her first goal of the tournament.
Coach Desiree Ellis’ team needed only a point to guarantee progression to the knockout stages, but this confident performance ensured they advanced top of the group. Even a loss would have seen them through, as Ghana’s 4-1 thrashing of Tanzania in Berkane meant Mali finished third but still progressed as one of the best third-placed teams.
South Africa will now face Senegal in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Senegal finished third in Group A with three points, behind group leaders Morocco and Zambia, who each collected seven points.
The nine-time African champions meet Zambia in their quarter-final clash, a repeat of their 2022 third-place playoff, with Madugu promising a sharper performance to keep Nigeria’s title hopes alive.
WAFCON 2024 Quarter Final Fixtures
Friday: Nigeria v Zambia (Casablanca, 16:00 GMT) Morocco v Mali, (Rabat, 19:00 GMT)
Saturday: Algeria v Ghana (Berkane, 16:00 GMT) South Africa v Senegal (Oujda, 19:00 GMT)
