Banyana Banyana will now face neighbors Zambia, while fellow tournament favorites Nigeria clashes with the hosts, Morocco. Both semi-finals will be played on Monday 18 July.
Banyana Banyana have qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup after winning 1-0 against Tunisia to reach the semifinals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco on Thursday night.
Jermaine Seoposenwe’s 14th-minute strike in the first half not only secured a place in the WAFCON semifinals, but it also guaranteed a ticket to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, hosted in Australia and New Zealand. All four WAFCON semifinalists are guaranteed places in next year’s showdown.
Banyana Banyana will now face neighbors Zambia, while fellow tournament favorites Nigeria clashes with the hosts, Morocco. Both semi-finals will be played on Monday 18 July.
Coach Ellis Desiree admitted her team made some mistakes in the game but was very happy with the final result.
“I thought we started very well but then we stopped. We kept creating chances and as the game went on, the players felt pressure and we tried to calm them down. We made some team mistakes. We had so many chances that we could have just knocked in and we didn’t do that. They were so clear cut but at the end of the day, we showed a lot of character. But hey, we are going to the World Cup!,” she said.
Reacting after the game speaking to eNCA, former Banyana Banyana captain Nthabeleng Modiko congratulated the team.
“I’m jubilant and I’m very excited for the girls and also for coach Ellis Desiree, and the technical team because this is a massive feat, back to back qualification for the World Cup. I think everybody was celebrating, it’s pity that it was a work night. They should be very proud of themselves for what they have done.
“The job is not done (in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations), I think we want to see that trophy eventually.”
