Women’s Africa Cup of Nations: South Africa Advance to Semi-Finals After Shootout Victory Over Senegal

Oujda, Morocco – July 19, 2025
In a bruising quarter‑final showdown at the Stade d’Honneur, defending champions South Africa overcame a resilient Senegal after a 0–0 stalemate across 120 minutes and a nerve‑shredding 4–1 victory in the penalty shootout.

The tightly matched affair saw both teams trading blows, but neither could find the net. Andile Dlamini stood tall, making vital saves throughout the match, and ultimately rose to prominence in the shootout by denying two spot-kicks from Nguenar Ndiaye and Méta Kandé.

Senegal had the early ascendancy, with towering strikes from Mama Diop and Ndiaye testing the Banyana defence. Their in-form keeper Adji Ndiaye kept South Africa’s forwards at bay early on, but wobbled under pressure in midfield as Jermaine Seoposenwe carved out a one-on-one chance just before halftime.

For South Africa, Hildah Magaia, Karabo Dhlamini, and Seoposenwe pushed forward valiantly but were continually thwarted by Senegal’s disciplined defence. A contentious moment arrived in extra time when VAR reviewed a potential spot-kick after a foul on Magaia—only for the decision to be overturned after nearly five minutes of suspense.

The game seemed destined for penalties until a dramatic late challenge by Senegal’s Diop forced action, but the ball narrowly missed the goal. When the shootout came, Dhlamini, Makhubela, Salgado, and Mbane stepped up confidently, with Mbane’s thunderbolt into the top corner clinching the result.

Coach Desiree Ellis praised her team’s collective resilience and discipline, reinforcing her unblemished open-play record at WAFCON. Meanwhile, Senegal’s coach Moussa Cisse expressed pride in his squad’s fearless performance and incremental progress.

With this win, South Africa advances to face regional powerhouse Nigeria in the semi‑final on Tuesday. The result also spotlights pressing issues in African women’s football: inadequate funding, shoddy logistics, and the glaring absence of sponsorship—factors that continue to challenge Banyana Banyana despite their on-field brilliance.

Yet amid adversity, their unity and culture remain unshakable — the spontaneous anthems, the shared defiance, and the collective pursuit of back-to-back continental titles underscore that, even in the face of systemic hurdles, South Africa’s Banyana Banyana continue to lead the way in African women’s football.