Banyana Banyana endured a challenging WAFCON group-stage campaign, but with fate back in their own hands ahead of Saturday night’s quarter-final showdown against hosts Morocco, the South Africans are ready to seize direct qualification for the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Desiree Ellis’ side finished second in Group B on four points, three behind leaders Ivory Coast. While sufficient to seal passage to the last eight, where they meet the Atlas Lionesses at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium (10pm kickoff), the campaign has so far fallen below their usual lofty standards.
Following a disappointing fourth-place finish in Morocco last year — where they surrendered their crown to arch-rivals Nigeria — Banyana were expected to set the pace early on. Instead, they stumbled out of the blocks, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Tanzania and drawing 2-2 with Ivory Coast before securing a vital 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso. That run left their quarter-final hopes reliant on Ivory Coast defeating Tanzania in the final group fixture, a favour the West Africans duly delivered.
Now in the knockout rounds, Banyana are in full control of their destiny: a victory over the hosts guarantees a semi-final berth and direct passage to a record-extending third consecutive World Cup appearance.
While Morocco boast home-ground advantage and an immaculate group-stage record, South Africa hold psychological dominance and big-game experience. Banyana famously defeated the Atlas Lionesses in Rabat four years ago to claim their maiden continental title, and Ellis has never failed to reach the WAFCON semi-finals since taking charge in 2016.
Speaking at Thursday’s pre-match press conference in Rabat, Ellis remained pragmatic about their history, warning against complacency against a Moroccan defense that is yet to concede a goal in the tournament.
“I think every tournament presents different challenges,” said Ellis. “We saw last year and this year that teams have improved. We take nothing for granted. You underestimate a team at your own peril.
“It doesn’t mean that if you win the first game, you automatically advance, or if you lose it, you won’t progress. It’s about how you rise from that. This team has a never-say-die attitude. They are resilient and won’t quit until the very end.”
Having only found their rhythm late in the group phase, Banyana must sharpen their execution in the final third if they are to unpick the tournament’s sternest defence.
“We need to control our possession better and make better decisions in the final third,” Ellis added. “We have shown that we can create chances, so if we do that, we can score. Morocco reached the knockout stages without conceding a goal, so they are technically a solid side. We have to stay alert for the duration of the game — whether that’s 90 minutes, extra time, or penalties.”
While a secondary World Cup play-off route remains open should they fall short on Saturday, senior defender Karabo Dhlamini insists the squad are intent on taking the direct route.
“From the players’ side, you can see that we are a different group compared to 2022,” said Dhlamini, one of 16 players remaining from the title-winning squad. “Most of the youngsters we have dream of playing at the World Cup, so it would be great for those of us with experience to help them achieve that goal.”
* Mihlali Baleka is currently covering WAFCON in Morocco for IOL, courtesy of Banyana Banyana’s premier sponsor, Sasol.
