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Winning their first ever Women’ s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) game, Tanzania stunned Banyana Banyana 2-1 in Group B opener of this year’s tournament at Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Monday evening.
Collecting the ball from a throw-in that was won via a counter-attack, Diana Mnaly beat Banyana goalkeeper Andile Dlamini in the near post to seal the deal for Tanzania in the 87th minute.
Facing the goalkeeping dilemma as both Dlamini and Kaylin Swart came into this Wafcon in top form, Banyana coach Desiree Ellis preferred Dlamini, who’s yet to concede for his club Mamelodi Sundowns in the Hollywoodbets Super League this season.
All in all, Ellis put in a balanced squad largely made up of tried and tested troops. However, Banyana uncharacteristically lacked energy and sense of urgency for the better part of the second half. Linda Motlhalo earned her 100th Banyana cap on the night.
It was no surprise that Ellis’s charges found themselves trailing in the 38th minute when Diana Mswewa dispossessed Robyn Moodaly, who was withdrawn for Nthabiseng Majiya at the start of the second half, and sliced through the Banyana defence like a hot knife through butter before beating the onrushing Dlamini to break the deadlock.
The ball slightly deflected off defender Bongeka Gamede. Banyana had also struggled to deal with a few long balls before Tanzania’s opening goal.
In one of those occasions, right-back Lebogang Ramalepe nearly scored an own goal as Banyana’s defence appeared to be at sixes and sevens against Tanzania, who are the lowest-ranked team in Group B, occupying the 122nd spot in the world, while they are 18th in Africa. Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso are other Banyana’s Group B rivals.
In the midst of Tanzania giving Banyana a scare in the second half, Bambanani Mbane made two brilliant sliding tackles to thwart possible danger.
Mbane’s impact would culminate in her drawing SA level in stoppage time of the first half, heading home a nice Karabo Dhlamini corner-kick that came after Tanzania goalkeeper Najat Idrisa had pulled off a brilliant save to deny Thembi Kgatlana. Idrisa made quite a few great saves in the first half.
Majiya missed Banyana’s best chance in the second half, failing to connect accurately with a nice cross whipped in by Dlamini around the 70th minute.
Overall, it was a frustrating night for Banyana and to say they were unrecognisable would be an understatement. SA’s next game is against Ivory Coast at the same venue on Friday (7pm SA time).
Sowetan
