Banyana Banyana ended their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign on a sad note, when they lost 4-3 on penalties to Ghana in the bronze medal match at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, on Friday night.
This after the game finished 1-1 at regulation time, after Nonhlanhla Mthandi put Banyana ahead, before Ghana’s Alice Kusi equalised in the 68th minute.
Both teams had an opportunity to win the game in regulation time but failed to put the ball at the back of the net, with the Black Queens getting most of the scoring chances.
Linda Motlhalo, Bambanani Mbane and Jermaine Seoposenwe scored for Banyana in the penalties, while Sibulele Holweni and Hildah Magaia failed to score were denied.
Kusi, Josephine Bonsu, Jennifer Cudjoe and Nancy Amoh converted their spot kicks, to ensure that Ghana clinched the bronze medal.
Coach Dr Desiree Ellis acknowledged that the team was under pressure throughout the match.
“We started very slowly, got into the game, and got a goal when we pressed.
But they came out guns blazing for most of the second half, especially that first 15 minutes.
We couldn’t get our foot on the ball to slow the game down, and to take control.
They were just better than us in the second half and eventually going to penalties, we always knew that we had a chance.
Unfortunately, we didn’t win the penalty shootout this time around, so congratulations to Ghana.
We live on, and we’ll then start preparing for what’s forward,” said Dr Ellis.
This was the poorest tournament by Banyana after a long time, as they only managed to win two games in open play, while others were won on penalties.
“I think some of the games took a lot out of us, but we always knew either getting to the final or getting to the third and 4th place playoff we still had another game.
We dust ourselves off and move on.
We can’t look back too much, yes it wasn’t a great campaign, but we got into the semifinals and came close to getting to the final, so we’ll just move on.
Like every team that comes to a tournament, we had ambitions of winning it, but we didn’t get there. Unfortunately, we didn’t do well today,” explained the coach.
The team is expected back in the country on Monday evening.
