Defending champions Banyana Banyana endured a nightmare start to their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title defense, falling to a shock 2-1 defeat against Tanzania’s Twiga Stars in their Group B opener at Casablanca’s Moulay Rachid Stadium.
Despite controlling long stretches of possession and celebrating midfielder Linda Motlhalo’s 100th international cap, Desiree Ellis’ side was punished for defensive lapses and an inability to convert dominance into clear-cut chances.
First-Half Drama and Motlhalo’s Milestone
South Africa dictated the early tempo, pinning Tanzania deep into their own territory. However, despite the return of star forward Thembi Kgatlana, the South African attack struggled to breach a resolute Tanzanian backline.
Against the run of play, Tanzania struck first in the 37th minute when Diana Msewa unleashed a strike that took a crucial deflection off a defender, wrong-footing goalkeeper Andile Dlamini to put the Twiga Stars ahead.
Banyana Banyana found a lifeline in first-half stoppage time. Following a corner scramble where Tanzanian keeper Najat Idrisa failed to clear, Bambanani Mbane reacted quickest to head home the equalizer, sending both teams into the break tied at 1-1.
Late Heartbreak in Casablanca
Coach Desiree Ellis introduced Nthabiseng Majiya at halftime to inject directness into the attack, but the second half proved to be a closely fought tactical battle. Dlamini was called into action to pull off a crucial save from a dangerous Hasnath Ubamba free-kick to keep South Africa level.
With the match appearing destined for a draw, South Africa failed to clear their defensive lines in the 87th minute. Tanzania seized the opportunity on a swift counter-attack, with Ubamba slotting home the winning goal to secure a historic 2-1 victory for the East Africans.
Group B Standings & What’s Next
The defeat leaves the reigning champions with significant ground to make up in Group B, where only the top two sides automatically advance.
BANYANA BANYANA WAFCON GROUP B FIXTURES (CASABLANCA):
• Friday, 31 July 2026: vs. Côte d’Ivoire
• Tuesday, 4 August 2026: vs. Burkina Faso
Banyana Banyana must now secure positive results in their remaining group fixtures to keep their title defense alive.
