The game had to be decided on the penalty shootout after the teams were locked at 0-0 after extra-time.
Defending champions Banyana Banyana beat Senegal 4-1 on penalties to reach the semifinal of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda, Morocco on Saturday night.
The game had to be decided on the penalty shootout after the teams were locked at 0-0 after extra-time.
Andile Dlamini was the hero of the shootout saving two penalties as all four Banyana penalty takers found the back of the net with Bambanani Mbane scoring the winning spot kick for Desiree Ellies’s side.
The intensity of the game was high as both teams launched attacks and Dlamini was forced to make a save in as early as the third minute and she did well to deny Nguenar Ndiaye from close range.
Jermaine Seoposenwe did well to outpace the Senegalese defender in the11th minute, but her shot went wide of goal as Banyana launched an attack of their own.
Seoposenwe almost made amends of that miss in the 22nd when she put pressure on Senegal goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye and she committed a mistake, but the ball was cleared to safety. Banyana appeal for a penalty for a foul on Seoposenwe but the referee signalled for goal kick instead.
Five minutes later South Africa were given a scare when Dlamini laid on the ground, but she continued to play after she was attended by the Banyana medical team.
Senegal were awarded a free kick in a promising position in the 42nd minute, but they wasted it by shooting over the crossbar.
Banyana were also awarded a free kick of their own just before the break, but Karabo Dhlamini shot straight at goalkeeper Ndiaye.
The teams were locked at 0-0 at the break.
The defending champions came out guns blazing in the second half as they look for the opener and captain Refiloe Jane took a shot from range and it went narrowly over the crossbar in the first minute of the second half.
As Banyana continued to push for the winning goal, Senegal resorted to kicking their players and Ellis had to make forced changes due to injuries.
South Africa thought they had earned a penalty in the dying minutes of the match when Hilda Magaia was fouled inside the box, but after a long VAR check, the referee overturned her original decision to award South Africa the penalty.
With nothing separating the teams, the game went to extra-time and then to the penalty shootout where Banyana emerged victorious.