Sports
Ice Cold Dlamini Sends Banyana into WAFCON Semis After Dramatic Senegal Shootout
South Africa’s Banyana Banyana held their nerve and booked a dramatic place in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semifinals on Saturday night after beating Senegal 4-2 on penalties in a tense, scrappy affair in Oujda.
A Quiet Battle Erupts Into a Shootout Thriller
In truth, this quarterfinal clash wasn’t the prettiest match of the tournament. For 120 minutes, both teams played with grit and energy, but lacked precision in the final third. It ended goalless, and fans were bracing themselves for the nerve-shredding drama of spot kicks.
Then up stepped Andile Dlamini.
The 5-foot-5 goalkeeper became a national hero, pulling off two clutch saves during the shootout — including one against Meta Kande, who had been subbed on specifically to take a penalty. Bambanani Mbane slotted the final kick to send South Africa through. Cue celebrations, relief, and a whole lot of heart emojis from fans online.
VAR, Nerves, and Missed chances
The match itself was a frustrating stop-start affair filled with VAR drama. In the second period of extra time, Banyana thought they’d earned a penalty when Hildah Magaia was bundled over in the box. But after an almost five-minute video review, the referee ruled in favour of Senegal — much to the disbelief of the South African bench and fans watching at home.
Social media lit up with confusion and frustration. “That was a pen all day long,” one fan posted on X (formerly Twitter). Another added, “VAR is not VAR-ing. What is going on?!”
Senegal’s Power vs South Africa’s Persistence
Senegal came out strong and physical from the first whistle. Within the opening minutes, Dlamini was called into action with a point-blank save to deny Nguenar Ndiaye. South Africa’s shorter centre-backs struggled at times to deal with Senegal’s aerial power — particularly from Mama Diop and Korka Fall — but the West Africans failed to convert that dominance into goals.
Despite being without star striker Thembi Kgatlana, Banyana grew into the game. Jermaine Seoposenwe and Refiloe Jane both had moments of promise, but neither side looked particularly threatening as the match wore on. Shots were skewed, passes overcooked, and nerves clearly took their toll.
A Familiar Foe Awaits: Nigeria
With the penalty victory, South Africa now set up a mouthwatering semifinal against tournament favourites Nigeria in Casablanca — a rematch of the 2018 WAFCON final. That game ended in heartbreak for Banyana, who lost on penalties after a goalless draw.
But this time, with Dlamini in this kind of form and the defending champions showing grit under pressure, South Africans have reason to believe it might end differently.
Local Pride and Rising Hopes
Back home, fans praised Dlamini’s composure and the squad’s resilience. “She’s ice in her veins, pride of the nation,” one fan wrote. Others lauded coach Desiree Ellis for managing the game well despite missing Kgatlana, and praised Salgado’s late-game impact off the bench.
While the football wasn’t always fluent, the heart was undeniable. And in knockout football, sometimes grit trumps grace.
Next stop: Nigeria.
Next goal: Another star on the badge.
Until then: We’ll be holding our breath — and sharpening our vuvuzelas.
Source:ESPN Africa
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