Banyana Banyana were held to a 1-1 draw by Tanzania in their CAF 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Group C tie at the Honneur Stadium on Friday night.
The game began with both teams prioritising defence, resulting in a scrappy opening period with few clear scoring chances. As the first-half progressed, the Twiga Stars started to assert their dominance, posing significant challenges for Desiree Ellis’ troops.
Tanzania eventually broke the deadlock in the 24th minute with a goal from Clement Tukumbuke.
Banyana Banyana attempted to find an equaliser, testing the Tanzanian goalkeeper with long-range efforts, but their attempts proved unsuccessful in the first half.
TANZANIA LEADING BANYANA BANYANA AT HALF-TIME BREAK
The game went into the half-time break with a 1-0 scoreline in favour of Tanzania against the defending champions.
In the second half, Banyana Banyana came out revitalised, taking control of the game. However, they struggled to break down Tanzania’s formidable defence.
According to CAF statistics, Banyana’s last group stage defeat at WAFCON was a 1-0 loss to Cameroon in 2016. Coach Ellis boasted an impressive record of 10 wins, two draws, and zero losses in 12 WAFCON matches prior to this encounter.
The much-needed equaliser for Banyana came in the 70th minute, courtesy of Bambanani Mbane, the star defender from Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies.
Tanzania was reduced to ten players in the 84th minute when John Chenge received a red card, forcing them to play the final seven minutes shorthanded.
Despite the late red card, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. This result wasn’t unfavourable for Banyana, as it moved Ellis’ squad to the top of Group C with four points after two matches.
Banyana Banyana will play their final group stage match against Mali on July 14, 2025. A draw will be enough to secure their spot in the quarter-finals.
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