WAFCON 2024: Defending champions South Africa beat Ghana in opening round of Group C games
7th July 2025
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Black Queens fail to grab a win against Banyana Banyana in their opening Group C fixture of the WAFCON 2024.
The Black Queens of Ghana lost their first Group game in the 2024 WAFCON in Morocco to defending champions South Africa at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda on Monday, July 7 2025.
On their return to the tournament after their last feature in 2018 where they hosted in Ghana, the Black Queens were edged by their South African counterparts by 2-0 as two first half goals were enough to catapult the defending champions into a better position on the log.
From the blast of the whistle, the two sides locked horns in a fierce encounter as the West African side pushed through to get the opener but were held back by the Banyana Banyana team on various occasions.
On the 28th minute, South Africa won a penalty which was under review for a longer period, where Ghana’s Grace Asantewaa kicked a South African forward in the penalty area which was initially overlooked by Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi, before she went on after few minutes to go for a review from the VAR monitor.
The penalty was awarded after the review and South Africa’s 27 year old Linda Motlhalo converted to put the defending champions ahead in the game. The South African ladies capitalized on the lead to pile more pressure on their Ghanain opponents, dominating possession and creating chances to extend their lead.
It did not take long for the Banyana Banyana to double their lead six minutes later, after a surging run by Lebogang Ramalepe down the right wing who launched in a sublime pass into the penalty area to find Jermaine Seoposenwe who slotted in a beauty past Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan who was left in absolute disarray.
The Ghanaian side became very wary about a possible hauling by the defending champions as they tried their best to keep the South Africans at bay for the rest of the duration of the first half.
In the second half, the Ghanaian side became more competitive and stronger as they heaped a lot of pressure on their opponents which nearly paid off on the 60th minute when Alice Kusi’s strongly-struck shot from distance hit the crossbar to send a strong message to the South African side.
The game went on in the second half so fiercely as the two sides faced of squarely in the with no added goals. The Black Queens’ quest to becoming the best side after a long lay off from the tournament did not materialize as their South African opponents had the upper hand and finished the game as victors.
The Black Queens will have to go back to the drawing board to rectify their mistakes quickly as they look to face Mali in the second round of Group C fixtures on Friday, July 11, 2025.