By 
It was far from a master-class, but when the dust settled on Tuesday night, Sasol Banyana Banyana got the job done. A hard-fought 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso secured South Africa second place in Group B of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) and brought the reigning champions to within one win of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
In a tense encounter, star striker Thembi Kgatlana provided the decisive blow in the first half. The Player of the Match netted early to give South Africa the advantage, but what followed was a test of sheer endurance and tactical discipline. Burkina Faso threw everything forward in the closing stages, forcing Banyana to weather a nerve-wracking storm to keep their campaign alive.
The result, combined with Ivory Coast’s 2-1 win over Tanzania, locked in South Africa’s passage to the knockout stages on four points.
“It wasn’t pretty, and sometimes it doesn’t have to be pretty,” acknowledged Head Coach Dr Desiree Ellis after the match. “Defensively we were organized… I thought the team played very well.”
Ellis, who handed starting spots to Isabella Ludwig and Hildah Magaia, praised the character of her squad following a rocky start to their title defence that included an opening defeat to Tanzania and a draw against Ivory Coast.
“It’s not how you start, but how you finish. The fight back shows what this team is made of,” Ellis stated. “In 2022 we mixed it up, so we’ve learned that you can’t play pretty all the time… We have showed that we can grind out results.”
The milestone-heavy evening also saw Captain Refiloe Jane celebrate her birthday, while both Hildah Magaia and Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado earned their 50th national team caps.
Supporting sponsor Sasol extended high praise following the qualification. “We congratulate Sasol Banyana Banyana on qualifying for the WAFCON 2026 quarterfinals and commend the team for the resilience, determination, and fighting spirit they have displayed,” said Dean Somerset, Group Brand and Sponsorships at Sasol.
The stakes could not be higher for Banyana Banyana as they travel to Rabat on Wednesday. They face hosts Morocco on Saturday night in a high-octane quarterfinal clash, where the winner will directly book their ticket to Brazil 2027. With no margin for error left, Ellis and her charges have proven they have the steel required for the knockout battle ahead.
