South Africa Pip Tunisia 1-0 For WAFCON Semi-Finals

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  • World Cup berth excites Banyana Banyana

Banyana Banyana of South Africa maintained their 100-percent winning record in the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations competition by beating Tunisia 1-0 victory on Thursday to qualify for the semi-final round.

Jermaine Seoposenwe’s 14th- minute goal earned the last four spot for the South Africans who also secured qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

It was Seoposenwe’s second goal of the tournament and it effectively separated the two sides while helping her country land safely at the global football carnival for the second successive edition.

They also remain on course to claim their first-ever WAFCON title but their 100-percent winning record, which includes the 2-1 victory over Nigeria’s Super Falcons, will now be further tested by a resilient Zambia in Monday’s semi-final clash.

Missing attacker Thembi Kgatlana, who is now out of the tournament due to injury, as well as with a squad that recorded some COVID-19 cases, the odds appeared stacked against the South Africans but they rose to the occasion, overcoming the setbacks and advancing to the last four and reaching the World Cup finals that will have Australia and New Zealand as co-hosts.

Coach Desiree Ellis relegated captain Janine van Wyk back to the bench as veteran centre-back Noko Matlou returned to partner Bambanani Mbane at the heart of defence. This was a much-changed line-up to the one that started against Botswana with Lebohang Ramalepe being selected at right-back in place of Bongeka Gamede.

Sibulele Holweni was picked for the left-back role ahead of Karabo Dhlamini while Refiloe Jane was back to lead a midfield that had Thalia Smidt preferred ahead of Kholosa Biyana. In the absence of Kgatlana, Seoposenwe was a lone striker facing Tunisian central defenders Rania Aouina and Chaima Abbassi.

Banyana were more threatening from the start and Seoposenwe had to force a fine save from Tunisia goalkeeper Soulayma Jebrani nine minutes into the contest. On the front foot, they were duly rewarded with an opener five minutes later when Seoposenwe beat Jebrani after collecting the ball in-between Abbassi and Samia Aouni before finishing calmly.

As the North Africans tried to come back into the contest, some desperate defending saw Ramalepe being yellow-carded in the 16th minute and it was interesting seeing Desiree’s ladies battling to keep the Tunisians at bay even as they also intensify their search for a second goal with some promising combination play.

Going into halftime clinging to the slender lead, the South Africans returned for the second half looking more determine,d and would have raised the bar within 10 minutes of resumption as Noxolo Cesane came close shooting just over the bar.

Moments after, Seoposenwe was the guilty one, missing a glorious chance after rounding goalkeeper Jebrani but was slow in her push allowing the Tunisians to recover and close their goal.

With the minutes running down, Substitute Melinda Kgadiete’s chest-and-shoot went just over the bar before Cesane’s low drive narrowly missed the target with just nine minutes left of play.

Though the challenge of not burying several scoring chances that came their way threatened to cost South Africa the game, they managed to hold on and advance in the search of their first-ever WAFCON crown.

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