Bayana Bayana of South Africa led by 158-capped Captain, Janine Van Wyk will look to win their first African Women Cup of Nations title when they face Nigeria in Accra on Saturday.
The South Africans had already created a history for themselves by qualifying for their first Women’s World Cup finals after beating Mali in the second semi-final of the 11th African Women Cup of Nations.
With a chance to face Nigeria in the final at stake, both sides started brightly and saw penalty appeals waved away by the referee in the opening twenty minutes.
The Bayana Bayana drew the first blood in the 30th minutes after Mali failed to clear a ball and allowed in–form Thembi Kgatlana to slam it home beyond goalkeeper Adoudou Konate.
The goal took Kgatlana‘s tally to five after scoring in all four games at the competition so far.
Mali responded well by pressing for an equaliser and came closer in the second half, but after the early pressure from the Malians both sides struggled to create anything meaningful, until nine minutes from time when Lebohang Ramalepe’s effort beat Konate again to seal the victory for South Africa.
The Malians will now battle the indomitable Lioness of Cameroon for the third place and last Africa‘s World Cup slot, while South Africa will play Group B rivals Nigeria for the title with both side through to the next year’s World Cup in France.
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