South Africa triumphs over Senegal in penalty shootout to reach 2024 women’s AFCON semi-finals

South Africa secured their place in the semi-finals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a tense 4-1 victory in a penalty shootout against Senegal.

Following a goalless draw after 120 minutes of intense football, the match, held at the Stade d’Honneur in Oujda, Morocco, was decided by penalties, with the South Africans ultimately prevailing.

The quarter-final encounter, played on Saturday evening, was a nerve-wracking contest, with Senegal pushing the African champions to their limits.

Although Banyana Banyana enjoyed more possession throughout the match, they struggled to break down Senegal’s resilient defensive setup, creating few clear-cut chances.

The Senegalese side, sitting deep and focused on containment, made it difficult for South Africa to penetrate, resulting in a largely uneventful first half.

Despite South Africa’s dominance in terms of ball control, they were unable to test Senegal’s goalkeeper, with the first 45 minutes failing to produce any significant attacking moments.

Both teams lacked creative spark, and the first half ended goalless, with little to excite the crowd.

In the second half, South Africa continued to control possession but found themselves similarly ineffective in front of goal. Their attacking play lacked the sharpness required to break down the Senegalese defense.

Despite firing off 11 shots, only four were on target. Meanwhile, Senegal, who had managed eight shots, tested the South African goalkeeper on three occasions.

The Lionesses of Teranga proved to be more than just a defensive side, holding their own against the reigning African champions.

The match carried on into extra time, but despite an additional 30 minutes of play, neither side was able to find the back of the net.

With the score still 0-0, the fate of both teams rested on a penalty shootout.

As the shootout began, it was Senegal’s Nguenar Ndiaye and Méta Kandé who were unable to convert their penalties, missing their second and third attempts, respectively.

South Africa, on the other hand, kept their composure, converting all four of their penalty kicks. This clinical execution saw them emerge victorious, with a 4-1 penalty win to secure their semi-final spot.

With the quarter-final victory, South Africa will now face Nigeria, the most successful team in Women’s AFCON history, in a highly anticipated semi-final clash.

This match will see the defending champions test their mettle against the Super Falcons, who have consistently been dominant in African women’s football.

In the other semi-final, hosts Morocco will take on Ghana, one of the tournament’s surprise teams.

Both teams will be eager to seize the opportunity for a place in the final, making the upcoming semi-finals an exciting prospect for fans of women’s football across Africa.

As South Africa celebrates their hard-fought progression to the final four, the team will now look ahead to the challenge posed by Nigeria.

Their journey to defend their title continues, with the stakes higher than ever in this year’s competition.

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⚽️ ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????: Bambanani Mbane converts and send Banyana Banyana to the semi-finals!

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— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) July 19, 2025