Sasol Banyana Banyana are just one match away from securing qualification to the 2027 Brazil FIFA Women’s World Cup after they beat Burkina Faso 1-0 and finished second in Group B of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) on Tuesday night.
Thembi Kgatlana put the South Africans into the lead in the first half, and they held on in a nerve-wracking finish as Burkina Faso came out with guns blazing during the closing stages of the encounter. Banyana Banyana ended the round robin phase on four points, three behind the table-topping Ivory Coast who defeated Tanzania 2-1 in the other Group B match, a result that played a key role in South Africa’s progression.
“I said it was going to be a tough one, and we made it a little bit difficult for ourselves. We scored early and stopped playing. You’ve got to give credit to the players though, it wasn’t pretty and sometimes it doesn’t have to be pretty. Defensively we were organized and I think we had one or two chances that could have put the game to bed, but I thought the team played very well,” said Banyana Banyana Head Coach Dr Ellis.
The four-time CAF Africa Woman Coach of the Year had made two changes to the team that started against Ivory Coast, bringing on Isabella Ludwig and Hildah Magaia in the place of Bongeka Gamede and Nthabiseng Majiya. Victory over Burkina Faso was a great turn-around by the 2022 African Champions after they got off to a shaky start in the tournament with a defeat to Tanzania and a draw against Ivory Coast.
“It’s not how you start, but how you finish. The fightback shows what this team is made of, and we keep working on being better and that’s all we can do. Now the games are coming thick and fast, there’s no margin for error. We have also showed that we can grind out results. I think in 2018 we played probably the best football of the tournament and we didn’t win it. In 2022 we mixed it up, so we’ve learned that you can’t play pretty all the time and that’s what people expect from Banyana Banyana. But we will take it step by step and day by day,” added Dr Ellis.
The cherry on top for Banyana Banyana was that captain Refiloe Jane celebrated her birthday on the day when the duo of Magaia and Gabriela Moodaly-Salgado each clocked 50 caps for the country, while Kgatlana walked away with the Player of the Match award.
“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 throughout the tournament. We are incredibly proud to stand alongside a team that continues to represent South Africa with courage, excellence and unwavering commitment.
Their journey is inspiring millions of South Africans and serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through belief, unity and perseverance. As Sasol Banyana Banyana prepare for the next stage of the competition, we wish them every success and remain firmly behind the team as it continues to make the nation proud,” said Dean Somerset: Group Brand and Sponsorships at Sasol.
Banyana Banyana travel to Rabat on Wednesday and will face hosts Morocco on Saturday night with a World Cup spot up for grabs.
