Banyana Banyana face Morocco after recovering from shock Wafcon defeat

Banyana Banyana will meet hosts Morocco in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after recovering from a difficult start to the tournament.

South Africa’s campaign began with a surprise 2-1 defeat by Tanzania, described as minnows, in their Group B opener. However, the team responded in their next two matches, drawing 2-2 with Ivory Coast before securing a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso.

Those results have set up a quarter-final meeting with Morocco, who are hosting this year’s Wafcon. The fixture is the next stage of a campaign in which Banyana Banyana have shown improvement after suffering an unexpected setback in their opening match.

The defeat by Tanzania left South Africa needing to respond in the remainder of the group phase. They did so by taking a point against Ivory Coast, with the 2-2 draw giving them a more positive result before their final group match.

A narrow win over Burkina Faso then completed their recent run of improved performances. The 1-0 result was enough to secure their place in the last eight and arrange a contest against the hosts.

Banyana Banyana’s path to the quarter-finals has therefore included three contrasting results: a 2-1 loss to Tanzania, a 2-2 draw with Ivory Coast and a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso. The sequence reflects a gradual improvement after their opening disappointment.

Morocco now stand between South Africa and a place in the next stage of the competition. The quarter-final will bring together Banyana Banyana and the tournament hosts after both sides’ progress to the knockout phase.

The match is being highlighted as a key fixture for Banyana Banyana, who will be hoping to build on the progress made in their final two Group B games. Their response to the Tanzania result has put them in a position to continue their Wafcon campaign against Morocco.

The report, published by Sowetan, also includes an AI-generated audio version.