Banyana Banyana rallied back from two goals down to earn a credible 2-2 draw in their second 2026 WAFCON Group B against Ivory Coast at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca on Friday night.
Head coach Desiree Ellis rang quite a number of changes with the most notable being Kaylin Swart replacing Andile Dlamini in goals.
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The first real chance fell to the Ivorians in the 15th minute but their effort went over the post.
Three minutes later, Grace Sery gave her side a 1-0 lead after outpacing the Banyana defenders before slotting her effort past Kaylin Swart.
Things went from bad to worse as Cote’d Ivoire doubled their lead with Sery grabbing her brace of the evening in similar fashion to make it 2-0 in the 36th minute.
Thembi Kgatlana came closest for Banyana two minutes before the interval behind the Ivorian defence but Aramatou Diakite came out to make a timely safe.
The Mexican-based striker then hammered a belter into the top corner in the 71st minute to pull one back.
Banyana thought they had pulled one back through Hildah Magaia in the 94th minute but her goal was correctly ruled offside.
‘The Breadwinner’ did eventually get her goal in the 98th minute with a sweet left footer to make it 2-2 and rescue Banyana from the jaws of defeat.
South Africa now sit in third position with one point ahead of their final match against Burkina Faso.
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