Banyana progress to Wafcon quarterfinal with win over Burundi

Banyana Banyana have booked a place in the quarterfinal stage of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco with a 3-1 win over Burundi at the Stade Prince Moulay El Hassan on Thursday.

At the same time, SA remain on track in their mission to book a ticket for the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

With the hard-fought victory over 10-woman Burundi in Rabat, SA leads Group C with six points from two matches and will be looking to make three wins out of three matches in their last match against Botswana on Sunday.

Banyana join hosts Morocco and Senegal in the quarterfinal stage and coach Desiree Ellis will be happy that her charges have managed to score five goals and conceded only two.

The biggest challenge for Banyana is to win their quarterfinal match and progress to the semifinal which will see them qualify for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July and August 2023.

Banyana, who wasted numerous scoring chances in the match against Burundi, dominated possession during the opening exchanges with Thembi Kgatlana, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Robyn Moodley and Amogelang Mudau misfiring.

The main reason Banyana were unable to take the lead inside the opening 15 minutes was largely due to the brilliance of Burundian goalkeeper Jeanine Irakoze, who was inspired between the poles.

Banyana opened the scoring after 20 minutes through star attacker Kgtlana when she struck from close range for her first goal of the tournament after she received the ball from Noxolo Cesane.

The goal injected more purpose for SA as they launched another attack that ended with Kgatlana denied by Burundi goalkeeper Irakoze who moved out of her line.

On the half-hour mark, Burundi caught Banyana on the counterattack to equalise after Sandrine Niyonkuru got the better of a few defenders to lay the ball in the path of Anella Uwinama who found the back of the net.

Banyana reacted quickly to retake the lead through Amogelang Mudau who blasted the ball past a few players in the box after Burundi defenders failed to clear the danger.

Banyana could have increased their lead a few minutes later but selfish Kgatlana went for the wrong option of slotting the ball at the near post while passing to unmarked Seoposenwe looked a better option.

SA missed another opportunity to further pull away on the stroke of halftime after Seoposenwe was denied from the penalty spot by Irakoze who dived the right way after the Banyana attacker was brought down  by Djasila Uwineza.

SA got it right from spot after 54 minutes when substitute attacker Linda Mothlalo kissed the back of the net after Egyptian referee Shahenda Elmaghrabi judged Irakoze to have brought down Kgatlana in the box.

Burundi suffered a blow after 72 minutes when substitute defender Annociate Nshimirimana was shown a red card for unsporting play on Seoposenwe on the edge of the box.