WAFCON2024: GHANA SUBDUES DETHRONED CHAMPIONS, SOUTH AFRICA 4-3 ON PENALTIES TO WIN 4TH BRONZE MEDAL.
…NIGERIA GUNS FOR 10TH CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE TOMORROW AGAINST MOROCCO.
Dethroned defending WAFCON champions, Banyana Banyana of South Africa on Friday at the Stade Larbi Zaoui, Casablanca in Morocco got a woeful end to their tournament pursuit losing 4–3 on penalties after 1-1 in a spectacular game of errors.
Ghanaian goalkeeper, Cynthia Konlan started the ring of errors when instead of shooting out a dangerous ball in her 6 yard box decided to dribble and lurking Nonhlanhia Mthandi scored the opener for South Africa in the 45th minute of the game.
The error script stanza two evolved in the 68th minute of play when Alice Kusi headed a ball towards the South African goal and Banyana Banyana Keeper, Andile Dlamini parried it into her net for an own goal.
South Africa had made five changes to the line-up that faced Nigeria in the semifinal which they lost 1-2 as Holweni, Motorola, Mthandi, Cesane and Magaia started in place of Dhamini, Makhubela, Magama, Jane and Salgdo who had a successful surgical operation on her broken calf in a Casablanca hospital on Thursday.
Then the match went straight into penalties. Ref Shahenda Saad Aluelmaghra of Egypt assisted by her compatriot Yara Atef of Egypt and Honda Afone of Tunisia on the lines saw South Africa win the toss to take the first kick.
Molthalo scored the first kick; Mbane scored the second; Holweni and Magaia lost their kicks in that order rendering Seoposen’s scored 5th kick ineffective. South Africa that won Bronze once in 2008 and were defending champions of WAFCON 2024 got no medal.
Ghana that miserably lost first half upper hand against hosts Morocco won the Bronze for the 4th time having won the medals in 1998, 2002, 2016 and at WAFCON 24 though they never won the title.
Ghana in the comedy of errors list the first kick through Boye and their coach had to encourage them as they wore long faces in despair.
Then came Kusi who had a wonderful night leading Kyerewa, Cudjoe and Amoh to score and get to pop up the wine.
The two teams met in the first group C match of the WAFCON 2024 tournament and South Africa won 2-0 with goals scored by Glasgow City FC Midfielder, Linda Motlhelo in the 28th minute and Jermaine Seposenwe Forward who plies her trade in Mexico. That means Ghana was finished in the first half of play.
It was therefore a gracious revenge worthy of celebration.
Ghana after submitting to South Africa 0-2; played 1-1 with Mali and then forced Tanzania to stoop down 4-0 at the group stages. She beat Algeria 4-2 via penalties after a goalless full time in the quarterfinals before losing via penalty to hosts Morocco 2-4 after playing 1-1 at full time in a match she dominated in the first half.
South Africa after the 2-0 win over Ghana played 1-1 with Tanzania and walloped Mali 4-0 at the group stages before defeating Senegal 4-1 on penalties after a goalless full time and then lost to the superior fire power of Nigeria 1-2 in the semifinals
Ghana played 1-1 draw with South Africa (SAF) on 15th October 2014 in a WAFCON match; played goalless on 10th September 2015 in another WAFCON match; Ghana won the WAFCON encounter of 2nd December 2016 by a lone goal; won a friendly match of 11th November 2018; lost 0-3 to SAF in another friendly of 17th September 2021 before the opening match of Group C in Morocco played on 7th July 2025.
Ghana ranked 66 in the world lost all her three world cup appearances at group stages in 1999, 2003 and 2007. She made 12 WAFCON appearances never winning the title but won Silver thrice in 1998, 2002 and 2006 long time ago; She won Bronze also thrice in 2000, 2004 and 2016; placed 4th once in 1995; also made quarterfinals in 1995 losing 4 times at the group stages in 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
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South Africa ranked 54 in the world, made two world cu appearances with the best performance of R16 in 2023; She is the ousted defending champions of WAFCON which she won 2022; got the Silver Medal 5 times in 1995, 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018; won Bronze twice in 2006 and 2010 when she hosted; placed 4th thrice in 2002, 2014 and 2016 meaning she had more podium finish than Ghana. She lost at the group stages twice in 1998 and 2004.
The grand finale holds on Saturday between nine times Champions, Super Falcons of Nigeria and Morocco which has never won the title at 9pm at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
Morocco will host the 16th edition of WAFCON in March 2026 which will be their 3rd consecutive advantage of hosting African women.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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