Latest news with #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2024
IOL News
18 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Ellis hails Banyana's grit after shootout triumph over Senegal
Andile Dlamini is mobbed by teammates after her two penalty saves sent Banyana Banyana into the WAFCON semi-finals. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis cut a calm but proud figure on Saturday night after guiding her team to the semi-finals of the CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following a 4-1 penalty shootout win over Senegal. It was a tense evening at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, where the defending champions were made to work hard for their place in the final four. After a goalless 120 minutes of football, South Africa held their nerve in the shootout — and Ellis was full of praise for how her side managed the pressure. 'I said the game was not going to be easy,' she reflected after the match. 'I said it was going to be a difficult game because of the group they were in and how they got out — and we didn't expect anything less.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Banyana struggled to find their rhythm early on, something the coach acknowledged. 'The first 15 minutes we showed a bit of nerves, trying to get into the game,' Ellis said. 'But once we settled, we nullified the threat — their two tall strikers.' Senegal's aerial presence and direct play posed problems, but Ellis was pleased with how her defence coped. 'We dealt very well with their long ball, but sometimes we gave the ball away too cheaply. Senegal have improved from the last time we played them — their coach has done a fantastic job.' The turning point came in the penalty shootout, where goalkeeper Andile Dlamini made two crucial saves. 🏆 𝕎𝔸𝔽ℂ𝕆ℕ 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟜 🏆 ⚽️ 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐓: Bambanani Mbane converts and send Banyana Banyana to the semi-finals! 🇿🇦 ✅✅✅✅ 🇸🇳 ✅ ❌❌ 🚨 LIVE 📺 SABC 3 📱 #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2024 — SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) July 19, 2025 'We have been practising penalties, and we knew who our kickers were going to be — that's why we made the changes we made. We always knew that Andile could save one or two — she's done it before,' said Ellis. It was a historic moment for Banyana — their first ever penalty shootout win in WAFCON history. 'This was our first penalty shootout victory at WAFCON — we lost in 2006 and again in the 2018 final,' Ellis recalled. 'I don't have enough words to describe this team — the resilience, the courage, the never-say-die attitude, the willingness to fight for each other. No matter what they threw at us, we were able to withstand it.' South Africa will now face old rivals Nigeria in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Casablanca — a fixture steeped in continental history. But Ellis isn't looking too far ahead just yet. 'We are not thinking about Nigeria right now — we'll think about the next match tomorrow. Let's celebrate what we have done,' she said. Banyana will now leave Oujda — a city they have called home for the past 16 days — and make their way to the Moroccan capital, where their title defence will face its sternest test yet. In the other semi-final, hosts Morocco will take on Ghana.
CAF
3 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
Fikile Magama: A Born Winner shining brightest at WAFCON
In a tournament brimming with global and established superstars, South African defender Fikile Magama has found a deserved place among the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 Group Stages Best XI as selected by the Technical Study Group. Her name Fikile means "Arrived" in isiXhosa. And arrive she has. Magama has arrived at the continental stage and looks comfortable with the big names. Quiet and very reserved off the pitch, mostly found in a corner minding her own business but overall locked in on the purpose. 'Being in the Best XI means a lot to me. I didn't expect it but looking back at how far I have come, being in the Best XI shows how much work I've done to get to where I am today,' Magama says to CAFOnline in an exclusive interview. 'The WAFCON is an amazing experience. As someone attending for the first time, I am truly impressed by the community's enthusiasm and knowledge. The sessions have been great, and the chance to connect with others is excellent within Banyana Banyana. What has stood up for me the most is fighting for one another on the field even when I make a mistake my teammate is there to motivate me and that has kept me going and made me want to give my all,' the 23-year-old defender adds. From Gugulethu to the World Magama started playing football at the tender age of seven. Her passion for the beautiful game was supported by her lovely grandmother who took her to Cape Town Roses where her skills were harnessed until she was 15 when she moved to Dangerous Heroes in Philippi still in the Mother City. Then she joined Phuhla FC (a boys' team). As a young girl with dreams of gaining further education, Magama joined the University of Western Cape. UWC as they are commonly known have a solid football platform for young ladies and for Magama, this was the perfect fit. Enrolled into the Sport Recreation Exercise Sciences, Magama is focusing on achieving both her dreams – education and football. Playing under Thinasonke Mbuli at UWC at club level has seen her grow her game whilst also winning titles including the Women's Varsity Football title in 2021. Mbuli is also the assistant coach of the Banyana Banyana. This growth in leaps and bounds earned her more recognition from the national junior coaches including former South African captain cum head coach of the U17 and later the U20 national team at the time – Simphiwe Dludlu. 'When I first met her, she was very shy but could speak up. She didn't impress me on the position she played at first in camp, but I remember her asking me to play a totally different position because she could kick with her left foot. I never regretted keeping her in the team because she ended up being a key player at the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in 2018 in Uruguay and beyond,' Dludlu reminisces. Dludlu, who is working as a broadcast commentator at the WAFCON in Morocco and commentated South Africa's first two games – against Ghana and Tanzania, reveals that, 'Her insight of the game has drastically improved, and she has been tactically versatile. She has so far executed her role as a defender pretty well against different opposition. She was good with 1v1 in defense and covering her other defenders. Her transition from defense to attack has been a marvel to watch. She almost scored against Tanzania. I saw confidence shine through.' Praises galore Banyana Banyana head coach Dr Desiree Ellis who has selected her to start in all three of South Africa's Group C fixtures against Ghana, Tanzania and Mali is singing her praises. 'For a very long time, Lebohang Ramalepe has been the right back for Banyana Banyana but the qualities that Fikile has, we realized that we could utilize them at right back and the qualities that Ramalepe has, we could utilize them further up field. She played all three games in the group stages. It shows the quality that she has had. She has grown and she has matured so, so much. She offers us so much going forward as well. She could have scored against Mali but defensively she is very sound,' Ellis says with such enthusiasm about Magama. 'She has played 90+ minutes in all these matches. She has also got the experience of going to the U17 World Cup and that experience is second to none. She was part of our squad at the 2023 World Cup [in Australia and New Zealand]. It just shows how she has grown and how she has matured. In some of our games, she has even played left back. She is that versatile.' 'I think she is a huge part of the defense and why we have only conceded one goal in the tournament, and she is going to be on top of her game in the next game. We trust her and we have faith in her. At the club [UWC], she has matured as well. I think having coach Thina there has really helped her grow and develop but she has really showed that she is up there and can battle it out there with the best that the continent can offer. I just hope that she continues in this reign because she has really matured and grown and gotten better.' 'She also has got the experience of playing at the CAF Women's Champions League (CAFWCL) and the COSAFA in an unfamiliar role. I think she played at left back. It shows the strength and the quality that she has. All those experiences put together are now coming through. It is showing in the way that she performs, in the way that she adds value to the team and she has been one of the pillars of the team at this tournament.' Magama played a key role in inspiring UWC to finishing second in the topflight league in South Africa which earned them a place in the CAFWCL COSAFA Qualifiers reaching the final and winning 9-8 on penalties following a 1-1 after extra time against Botswana's Gaborone United. Magama scored one of the penalties that earned the university side a place at the continent's biggest inter-club competition that took place in Morocco. Quarterfinal test This is the first time that the Banyana Banyana are at the WAFCON as defending champions. Winners in 2022, South Africa have one goal – to defend their title. But in front of them is a very ambitious Senegal side that are desperate to return to the last eight for a second consecutive edition. The Teranga Lionesses will face their biggest test at the competition. And to stop Senegal, Magama and her teammates will have to once again dig deep into their experience of winning the last edition and playing at back-to-back World Cups. 'We want to win against Senegal in the quarterfinals. Our team will need to focus on several key areas; strong defence, clinical finishing, midfield control, teamwork and strategy, physical and mental preparation and lastly adaptability,' Magama predicts. This quarterfinal matchup between South Africa and Senegal will be the first time the two teams are meeting in the knockout stages of the TotalEnergies WAFCON. With Banyana Banyana playing all their three Group C matches at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, it has become a home for them at this competition. Magama and her teammates will be hoping to use that to their advantage against Senegal on Saturday at 8pm (local time).
CAF
6 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
Boye-Hlorkah comes alive to lead Ghana to quarters
Under the bright lights and the self-inflicted weight of expectation at the Berkane Stadium on a demanding Monday night in Group C of the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024, Ghanaian midfielder Chantelle Louise Boye-Hlorkah stood tallest as the Woman of the Match in a must-win tie against Tanzania. The 29-year-old midfielder maintained composure from start to finish, showed leadership and great decision making as Ghana showed character to defeat Tanzania 4-1 and book their well-deserved position in the quarterfinals of the continental competition. Boye-Hlorkah Magic Vocal via word of mouth on the field of play but more importantly Boye-Hlorkah lets her actions with and without the ball speak for her. Ball control, game reading and timely interceptions describe her approach to the beautiful game. Against Tanzania, she owned the midfield. She frustrated Diana Msewa who is the heart and soul of the Twiga Stars midfield and was Woman of the Match in their 1-1 draw with the reigning champions South Africa. It was not just the numbers on the stat sheet for Boye-Hlorkah. It was the timely tackles, positive energy and overall experience that were crucial for Ghana. She made routine look elegant with the manner in which she transformed text book training ground moves into easy-to-execute runs during the game. 'Today, I was in a comfortable role. I like the wing but I like being involved more in my natural position. I am glad to have played a little bit everywhere. A more familiar role for myself. I am so happy. The award could have been given it to any of my teammates. I want to thank the coach for playing me in this position, my teammates and the staff for the support,' she said with an ear-to-ear smile after the game. She dictated play, hi-fived or tapped her teammates on the back for encouragement and generally gave the traveling Ghanaian fans in the stands something to cheer about. The many Berkane citizens too joined in whenever she had the ball on her feet. Beginning of a new era In 13 editions, this is the seventh time that the Black Queens have progressed to the knockout stages at the WAFCON and have now made it four out of four against East African opposition. 'I am just proud, so proud of the girls. I try and lead. I am very vocal on the pitch. I try and push the team as much as I can. The girls picked me up too. I told them that we are not going to win this game without playing as a team. I am so proud of Ghana, of the fans. I am so proud to be Ghanaian,' Boye-Hlorkah said passionately after the game yet to catch her breathe. 'Wow. Wow. Wow,' the Anfield-born midfielder who was given more freedom in her midfield role on Monday said with absolute admiration of her teammates in what she said was a memorable day for this team that was on the edge of losing everything had they not emerged victorious. Just four players in the current squad had ever played at the WAFCON. The new generation includes Boye-Hlorkah who is featuring at her first WAFCON. 'Growing up through the England system meant that I was eligible to play for my country of birth but I always knew that I wanted to play for Ghana. I am just so grateful to be here playing for Ghana.' Quarterfinals here they come With this result, Ghana have now recorded nine wins, a draw and a loss in their final group stages fixtures at the WAFCON. Princella Abudea opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Alice Kusi scored her second goal of this edition to make it 2-1. Evelyn Badu came off the bench to make it 3-1 before Boye-Hlorkah sealed the comfortable victory to make it Ghana's first time to score four goals at the WAFCON since the 1998 edition. Despite the goal and impact of the eventual result, Boye-Hlorkah admitted that, 'I always want to achive the most. The final result. The end goal is to win it all. The result means everything. I said that we would score more than one or more goals. We got the performance. I am more proud of the performance than the result.' 'We were not playing to their game. When we are actually playing football, combine with each other. When we got it down, we were able to play. The result is amazing, the performance even better. The girls put in a great shift.' The Ghanaian contingent in the stands watched the entire game on their feet, encouraging the players on the field, waving the nation's flag at every opportunity and could be seen in the end just visibly relived that they made it to the knockout stages for the first time since 2016 when the Black Queens finished in third place. Monday's win marked the first victory for Ghana after taking the lead in two games at the current finals. Ghana will take on Algeria in the last eight on July 19 at the Berkane Stadium.
CAF
6 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
Björkegren hails Black Queens for fighting spirit
Published: Monday, 14 July 2025 Ghana controlled their destiny in a solid performance that saw them find the back of the net an impressive four times to make light work of Tanzania in a do or die matchup that ensured they booked a place to the quarterfinals of the TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 in Morocco. A standout 18 shots at goal, nine on target and four goals saw Kim Lars Björkegren's side dance, ululate and hi-five each other at the full-time whistle in Berkane on Monday night. The Black Queens, who felt that they dominated both their games against Ghana and Mali statistically despite amassing a point from a possible six in Group C, finally smelt the coffee. Their resilience, physicality and camaraderie were exceptional on the day. 'I am just really proud of the girls. Today, we followed the game plan a little bit more. I always believed that we would win this game and make it to the quarterfinals. I understand the impact of the result. It is the knockout stages, and we continue to take it one game at a time,' Björkegren said after the 4-1 win against Tanzania. 'Ghana missed the knockout stages the last time that they played [in 2018 at home] and we have now made it past the group stages. The result is very important to us. We shall take it all in now because the players deserve this. They showed that they can stay true to our style and win.' Teamwork rules A team that works together, stays together. Throughout their two games that not only tested their character and self-belief, the Black Queens fought for each other. No single time did a player attack another for a misplaced pass or a tackle that led to a goal or a warning or booking from the referee. They stood together in good and in bad. It is this spirit that had Björkegren in high spirits at the halftime break when the score stood at 1-1 because he anticipated that his side would raise the tempo when the second half began. Star player Evelyn Badu, who started the first two games, came off the bench after Princella Abudea and Princess Marfo were given the nod to start ahead of her. Her body language when she ran onto the pitch visibly showed that she was there to build on what the duo had done thus far. And it is that sisterhood that displayed the understanding of the objective for the team and the importance of the eventual result. The suspended Doris Boaduwaa was on her feet the entire game in the stands supporting her teammates and almost lost her voice. In the end what mattered was the qualification. 'We played as a team and this has been important for us on and off the pitch,' Björkegren said as a tribute to his team who will face Algeria in the WAFCON 2024 quarterfinals on July 19 at 5pm (local time) at the Berkane Stadium in the Oriental Province of Morocco.
CAF
14-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
South Africa, Mali battle for Group C top spot
After navigating the twists and turns of Group C, the reigning African champions South Africa and West African dark horses Mali now find themselves on a collision course with the Group C top slot at stake at the ongoing TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 in Morocco. With four points each from a possible six, both teams will be looking for bragging rights and an opportunity to finish the group stage on a high note. Away from becoming table leaders, the result of this fixture will determine the quarterfinal matchups going forward. One game at a time If it is not broken, why fix it? For a team that has already won the WAFCON, the Banyana Banyana know a thing or two about how to excel at tournament football. It is a whole different ball game. Dr Desiree Ellis' outfit are right on cue, efficient in the final third and solid at the back. They have only conceded once – a diagonal header by Tanzania's Opa Clement. Mexico-based midfielder Amogelang Motau, who won the title with South Africa three years ago is in high spirits ahead of the tie against Mali and says, 'The mentality going into this tournament was to take it one game at a time. That is what won us the tournament in 2022. We came in as contenders and our goal is to finish top.' 'Off the field, we are a very solid team. We are going through a transition. We are making it look seamless, but it is not. There's going to be a lot of player rotation. There are new players coming into the team. There are good seniors who are guiding us.' Ellis, who sought rotation against Tanzania making four changes, affirms this and believes that her squad has the character of champions as they try to defend their title. 'No game is easy because they [Mali] know that they are in it as well. We know what we have to do that is very important to us. We want to rotate the ball quicker and be more efficient in the final third.' 'We are working on what we need to learn from the other games and how we need to help each other on the pitch. We want to stay true to who we are because the minute we put the ball on the ground; there will be some very good moments. Getting into the final third with those movements with that quick combination play and that is what we need to do.' Respectful but not scared Facing defending champions can sometimes force an opponent into early submission but not Mali. Les Aigles Dames have been building their confidence from the onset. They are meticulate in the way that they approach games and more importantly, they know how to win. Their opponents – Tanzania (1-0) and Ghana (1-1) will never forget Mali. Even when it looked like both sides were dominating play for the most part, before they knew it, Mali was walking down the tunnel with big smiles on their faces, content and with their chins up. It is the killer instint that is crucial in tournament football. Mali have mastered this. And at the heart of it all is head coach Mohamed Saloum whose evergreen tactics continue to inspire a young and spirited Malian side that is here to write history – slowly but surely. 'We know South Africa very well. They are compact. We think that in this competition as defending champions, they are a tough team to play. Each team has their own philosophy, and we shall rely on our quality. We shall respond accordingly. Did anyone think that Tanzania will draw with South Africa? This is football. We will bring all our leverage to make sure that it works on our side as we chase the first place,' Saloum says with confidence. The last time the two sides faced each other was at the 2018 edition when South Africa edged Mali 2-0 thanks to goals by Thembi Kgatlana and Lebohang Ramalepe. But Saloum believes that his side have since evolved. They have grown in stature and will approach this game with the maturity that it deserves. Yakare Niakaté, who features for Nice in France at club level, says with a composed smile, 'There are two teams in this fixture but for me, there is no favourite team. They [South Africa] are a good team that is competitive and that won the title but we as Mali are here to represent our country and show what we can do. We are here now. We know our quality. We shall do everything possible to gain positives from the game.' Playing in her first ever WAFCON, Niakaté admits that, 'It is a great pleasure to be in the biggest tournament of Africa. We played against Ghana – a big team in Africa, we faced Tanzania who are also coming up now and now, we are going to face the defending champions, this is exactly where I want to be. I want to express myself on the field of play and play against the best teams in Africa.' Mali's best performance was back in 2018 when they reached the semifinals and according to Saloum, they want to get to the podium – better their last result.
