Banyana Banyana missed the podium at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup Of Nations (WAFCON) after losing 4-3 to Ghana on penalties in their third/fourth place playoff at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium on Friday night ended 1-1 in regular time.
Jermaine Seoposenwe playing in her last international game provided the assist for Nonhlanhla Mthandi at the stroke of halftime while Alice Kusi leveled for the Black Queens.
There were five changes made in the Banyana side that lost 2-1 to Nigeria in the semi-final. Hilda Magaia, Regina Mogolola, Mthandi, Sibulele Holweni and Noxolo Cesane were handed starts in the absence of the injured Grabriela Salgado and Tiisetso Makhubela while Refiloe Jane and Fikile Magama dropped to the bench and Karabo Dhlamini was out of the match day squad.
Banyana threatened just after the first whistle with Seoposenwe finding Magaia whose shot was cleared for a corner that South African didn’t capitalise on. Ghana’s first real chance at goal came in the 14th minute when Kusi crossed to Doris Boaduwaa in the box but the latter short over the bar.
They had another chance eight minutes later when they won a corner. Portia Boakye sent it to Kusi who missed the target. Grace Asantewaa took matters into her hands and took a short from outside the box and forced Andile Dlamini to come out and make a save. Dlamini was called again to save a threatening corner in the 42nd minute.
At the stroke of half-time Banyana broke the deadlock through Mthandi from a Seoposenwe assist having benefitted from the goalkeeper’s mistake to give her side a lead at halftime.
Jane and Kgalebane Mohlakoana were brought on for Mogolola and Mthandi at the start of the second half. The Black Queens were the more persistent side in the stanza winning several set-pieces but not capitalising on their chances. They could have levelled in the 55th minute through Evelyn Badu but she missed the target with her header.
They were finally rewarded in the 67th minute through a Kusi header. Banyana missed a golden chance to regain the lead in the last 10 minutes from Bambanani Mbane. Badu could have stolen the headlines for Ghana in injury time after a defensive error from Banyana but her shot was saved leaving the game to be decided on penalties.
