Banyana Banyana secured a 2-1 victory over Nigeria on Thursday at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, qualifying for the FIFA playoff tournament for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Thembi Kgatlana opened the scoring for Banyana Banyana in the 56th minute, finding the back of the net after receiving a well-placed pass from Hilda Magaia.
“Captain Refiloe Jane increased the lead to 2-0 when she fired a shot from the edge of the box and rattled the net in the 77th minute,” the South African Football Association (SAFA) said on its website.
Goalkeeper Kaylin Swart walked away with the Woman of the Match Award after a series of saves kept the Nigerians at bay.
Despite seeing their CAF WAFCON title defense come to an end before the semi-finals, South Africa produced a spirited display to overcome the Super Falcons and move one step closer to securing a place at the global showpiece.
According to SAFA, the next phase of the FIFA qualification process will be played in November 2026 and will feature two teams from Africa and Asia, and one each from Oceania and South America.
