WAFCON:
South Africa Scrape Through Senegal, Meet Nigeria In Semi Final
By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
The soccer rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa is set to rekindle early next week when both countries meet in the semi- final of the Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Championship holding in Morocco.
This follows the victory of the South Africans over their Senegalese opponents in tonight’s fourth quarter final game decided on penalties.
The Bayana Bayana of South Africa, who are the defending champions, beat the resilient Senegalese by four goals to two in the spot kicks after the game had ended on a barren note after full and extra time of play.
In the spot kicks, the South African goalkeeper, Dhlamini , became the heroine after she stopped two of the four kicks taken by the Senegalese.
South Africa netted all of their four kicks.
In a broad sense, the game was a virtual replica of tonight’s earlier game between Algeria and Ghana which the Black Queens won by four to two goals on penalty after they drew barren in full and extra time.
In the South Africa/ Senegal tie, Bayana Bayana thought they had secured victory in the course of play when they netted in the 83rd minute.
But the goal was turned down for the reason of a preceding offside.
In the 111th minute, the defending champions thought they had the prospect of winning in extra time when the Centre referee ruled for a penalty against Senegal.
But the call was reviewed and after consultation with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the referee overruled herself , and the game ended barren.
In the ensuing penalty kicks, Senegal lost two kicks to the South African goalkeeper, while Bayana Bayana netted all their four kicks.
With the completion of the quarter final stage of the competition, four teams- South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and hosts, Morocco, have qualified for the semi finals.
South Africa, the defending champions, who face Nigeria in the semi final tie, hope to win the competition back -to -back, having won the last edition in 2022.
Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria are the only countries, aside from South Africa, to have won the WAFCON.
Nigeria has won it a record nine times.
