Latest news with #HildahMagaia
The Herald
23-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Banyana relinquish their African throne
Desiree Ellis's side suffered a blow midway through the first half when dependable centre half Tiiesetso Makhubela was forced to limp off with an injury. Surprisingly, Ellis did not replace Makhubela with another defender but opted to bring on striker Hildah Magaia to partner Seoposenwe, with Gabriela Salgado moved to the left side of the midfield. But the Super Falcons always looked dangerous, especially with Esther Okoronkwo and skipper Rasheeday Ajibade giving them a lot of options and providing plenty of supply for the strikers, Folashade Ijamilusi and Chinwendu Ihezuo. It was amid that dominance that Ijamulisi forced Banyana defender Bambanani Mbane to handle her shot inside the area on the stroke of halftime. The referee pointed to the spot and Ajibade made no mistake. Though Dlamini nearly cost Banyana with another mistake at the restart, Banyana did eventually find an equaliser on the hour mark when Magaia had been fouled by Osinachi Ohale inside the area. Linda Motlhalo, Banyana's penalty specialist, gave Chiamaka Nnadozie in goals for Nigeria no chance as she slotted her second penalty in the tournament. After this goal, Banyana gained control and were unlucky to see Noxolo Cesane's shot cleared off the line by Ohale after Seoposenwe had played a lovely diagonal pass for the substitute. Ten minutes before fulltime, Salgado suffered a nasty injury while trying to clear a corner kick. This was a second forced substitute for SA after Makhubela left the field injured too in the first half. The Super Falcons will await the winner of hosts Morocco against Ghana to find out who they will face in the final in Rabat on Saturday.
The Herald
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Dlamini helps Banyana beat Senegal on penalties to book semifinal spot against Nigeria at Wafcon
It was Senegal who posed much of the danger in the first half with their tall strikers Nguenar Ndiaye and Mama Diop testing Banyana keeper Andile Dlamini a couple of times. Banyana forwards Hildah Magaia and Jermaine Seoposenwe were tightly marked and at times had to fetch the ball deep as the Senegalese defended well. Lebohang Ramalepe always gave Banyana options in attack and was the player who looked capable of finding an opening for Banyana. Banyana coach Desiree Ellis made only one change after halftime, bringing Amogelang Motau on for Sibulela Holweni to shore up a midfield that battled to create as many chances for the strikers in this match. As much as both sides tried, the match ended 0-0 after 90 minutes with no clear-cut chances created on both ends. In the first half of extra-time Ramalepe was unlucky to have been judged offside after scoring, having latched on to an exquisite defence-splitting pass by Banyana skipper Refiloe Jane. Magaia too saw her close-range shot in the second half of extra time parried away by a confident Adji Ndiaye in the Senegalese goals. Later a penalty appeal against Magaia was also turned down by the referee after a prolonged VAR examination. Other than those chances there was very little that both teams did in the extra 30 minutes to show they wanted to avoid going to the penalties. In the second semifinal also to be played on Tuesday, 2022 runners-up Morocco will face Ghana who also needed penalties to earlier on Saturday to oust Algeria.
Morocco World
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
WAFCON Quarterfinals Today: When, How to Watch South Africa vs Senegal
Marrakech – The reigning African champions South Africa will face Senegal today in the quarterfinals of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, Morocco. The match kicks off at 8 p.m. local time and will be broadcast live on Arryadia (TNT), beIN Sports, CANAL+, New World TV, SuperSport, and other international networks. South Africa enters the match as favorites, having topped Group C with 7 points from two victories and one draw. The Banyana Banyana have been joint top scorers in the tournament so far with seven goals from seven different players, including Bambanani Mbane, Hildah Magaia, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Lebohang Ramalepe, Linda Motlhalo, Refiloe Jane, and Ronnel Donnelly. Head coach Desiree Ellis remains undefeated in open play at the WAFCON over three editions, currently standing at 14 games including 11 wins and three draws while keeping eight clean sheets. Ellis stated about their approach: 'We trust the process. If you underestimate a team, before you notice it, the game has gone. We have played Senegal before, but this is a completely new game, new part of the competition.' Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Andile Dlamini has been impressive, yet to concede a goal after featuring in two games against Ghana and Mali, making five saves in each match. Senegal qualified for the quarterfinals as one of the best third-placed teams from Group A, which many considered the tournament's toughest group. The Teranga Lionesses opened with a resounding 4-0 victory against DR Congo before losing narrowly to Zambia 2-3 and Morocco 0-1. This marks Senegal's third WAFCON appearance and second consecutive quarterfinal. A win today would write a new chapter in their football history, taking them to the semifinals for the first time. 'This matchup is in favour of South Africa. They are the favourites, and we are the challengers. We need to throw everything at this game. If we win, it will be our first time to go to the semifinals, and we shall have done that by beating the champions of Africa,' said Senegal's coach Moussa Cisse. Senegal forward Pascaline Fofana Bassene expressed confidence ahead of the match: 'We are motivated. We managed to come this far in the tournament so we will stay focused. We respect South Africa. They are the title holders. We are here to represent our nation and to do our best.' This will be the second meeting between these two teams at WAFCON, with South Africa winning 1-0 at the 2012 edition in Equatorial Guinea. The teams also met in two friendly games in Thies last year, with Senegal forcing a 1-1 draw in the first encounter before South Africa won 2-0 in the second match. Both teams have shown offensive capabilities in the tournament, with a 20% shot conversion rate. South Africa scored seven goals in their group games while Senegal netted six times. Defensively, both teams have faced 13 shots on target, with South Africa conceding just once while Senegal have conceded three goals. South Africa has looked vulnerable from set pieces – a weakness Senegal may exploit. Without star player Thembi Kgatlana, some question if Banyana Banyana might miss that true star quality in a crucial knockout game. Senegal has impressed with their speed and directness on counter attacks, featuring one of the best forward units in the competition. Their forwards Mama Diop, Nguenar Ndiaye and Sadigatou Diallo could pose serious threats to the South African defense. The winner of today's match will advance to the semifinals in Casablanca, facing Nigeria who defeated Zambia 5-0 on Friday. Today's WAFCON quarterfinals also feature Algeria against Ghana at the Municipal Stadium in Berkane at 5 p.m. local time. The winner will face Morocco, who defeated Mali 3-1, in the semifinals on Tuesday, July 22. Tags: senegalSouth AfricaWAFCON
News24
15-07-2025
- Sport
- News24
‘I don't need to feel vindicated,' says Ellis on Banyana's controversial rotation policy
Banyana coach Desiree Ellis doesn't feel the need for vindication, even if her rotation policy paid off in her team's 4-0 win over Mali on Monday. The Wafcon defending champions topped Group C and will face Senegal in the quarter-finals. They extended their unbeaten Wafcon streak to 14 matches. For more Banyana news, go to News24 Sport's dedicated section. Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis remained defiant in the face of criticism over her rotation strategy, which has divided opinion throughout their Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco. After a solid 2-0 win over Ghana in their Group C opener, Ellis made four bold changes for the second match against Tanzania. Most notable was swapping out the in-form Andile Dlamini for Kaylin Swart in goal. The result: a frustrating 1-1 draw that left fans questioning the decision. But Ellis has stood firm, citing Morocco's sweltering conditions as a key factor in her selections, keeping players fresh and tactics that fit each match. ANALYSIS | The real Banyana Banyana finally shows up at Wafcon On Monday, in their final group match, the changes kept coming. This time, much to the delight of supporters, Dlamini was reinstated along with Lebogang Ramalepe, Amogelang Motau and tournament talisman Hildah Magaia. The response? A resounding 4-0 victory over Mali, with goals from Ramalepe, Refiloe Jane, Magaia and Ronnel Donnelly. Banyana not only topped their group but extended their unbeaten Wafcon streak to 14 matches – a run that stretches all the way back to 2018. Ellis' gamble, it seems, is paying off. 'Look, after the first win against Ghana, we did the same thing we did in 2022. After beating Nigeria, we made changes for the next game. We didn't play well, but we got the results,' Ellis told reporters after the game. 'The next game we made changes again for that game [in 2022] because we wanted to make sure that we keep our players fresh. So, it wasn't about anything else but also making sure that players stay fresh.' Banyana took a commanding 2-0 lead going into the break against Mali at the Honneur Stadium. True to form, Ellis used the cushion to once again showcase her trusted rotation policy. At the start of the second half, she introduced Gabrielle Salgado, Regina Mogolola and Sibulele Holweni, giving key starters Jermaine Seoposenwe, Refiloe Jane and Amogelang Motau a well-earned rest. 'I mean, at half-time, we took a lot of players off and brought other players on, and it's not about giving everybody an opportunity, but making sure that they're fresh and trusting those that you brought with. 'Making so many changes, we didn't feel that even against Tanzania, where we got a draw, we felt we had a good enough team on the park [but] sometimes things just don't go your way, and that's what happened.' Ellis admits that the critics and the naysayers about her way of managing her squad have not gotten to her. 'Tonight, almost everything went right [for us] and that was like pure joy,' she said. 'I don't need to justify why I do it. I don't need to feel vindicated for why I do it because we trust in the process. 'That's all what it is about – it's just trust in the process.' After clinching top spot in Group C, Banyana have earned more than just bragging rights; they've secured the luxury of staying put in Oujda for the next phase of their Wafcon journey. While other quarter-finalists face the disruption of travelling to Rabat or Berkane, Ellis's side will enjoy the comfort of familiar surroundings as they prepare to take on Senegal in a high-stakes knockout clash. The defending champions return to the Honneur Stadium on Saturday (kick-off at 21:00, SA time). Wafcon quarter-final fixtures:
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Banyana cruise into WAFCON quarter-finals with emphatic win over Mali
Hildah Magaia of South Africa celebrates her goal during the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations group-stage match between South Africa and Mali at Honneur Stadium in Oujda, Morocco, on Monday night. Photo: BackpagePix Image: Backpagepix Banyana Banyana produced a dominant display at Stade Moulay Hassan on Monday night, brushing aside Mali 4-0 to seal top spot in their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) group. The defending champions came out with intent, wasting no time in stamping their authority on the match. Veteran full-back Lebogang Ramalepe, returning to the starting line-up, opened the scoring inside five minutes, curling a superb effort into the top corner after a clever pass from Jermaine Seoposenwe. Mali attempted a response, but South Africa — far more composed and organised than in their earlier draw against Tanzania — never lost control. Refiloe Jane, another of the returning starters, doubled the lead in the 36th minute with a venomous free kick that left goalkeeper Fatoumata Karentao rooted. With a quarterfinal place already secured before kick-off, coach Desiree Ellis made multiple changes at half-time — withdrawing Jane, Seoposenwe and Amogelang Motau for Regina Mogolola, Sibulele Holweni and Gabriel Salgado. But the substitutions did little to blunt South Africa's momentum. The third goal came midway through the second half when Hildah Magaia, making her first real mark on this year's tournament, latched onto a through ball from Karabo Dhlamini and rifled it home — a finish that underscored the gulf in class. There was still time for a special moment from 20-year-old Ronnel Donnelly, who bagged her first-ever Banyana goal in just her third appearance, finishing smartly in the 79th minute to complete the rout. South Africa dominated possession, carved open Mali's defence at will, and maintained discipline at the back — with Andile Dlamini only rarely tested in goal. The result means Banyana completed the group stage unbeaten, and extended their remarkable WAFCON record under Ellis to 14 matches without defeat, dating back to the 2018 edition. It was a statement performance from a team that now appears to be hitting its stride — just in time for the knockout rounds. SCORES South Africa (2) 4 Ramalepe 5', Jane 36', Magaia 68' Donnelly 79' Mali 0
