Ghana, South Africa end WAFCON with wins to keep Women's World Cup qualification hopes alive
South Africa and Ghana clinched Africa’s two spots in an intercontinental playoff to qualify for the Women’s World Cup with wins over Nigeria and Ivory Coast
CASABLANCA, Morocco -- South Africa and Ghana clinched Africa's two spots in an intercontinental playoff to qualify for the Women’s World Cup with wins over Nigeria and Ivory Coast on Thursday.
Nigeria's 2-1 loss to South Africa means the Super Falcons will miss the World Cup for the first time since the tournament's inauguration in 1991.
Ghana came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 earlier as the four beaten quarterfinalists at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations were pitted against each other to decide which two progress to the World Cup intercontinental playoffs.
The four semifinalists – Cameroon, Malawi, Morocco and Algeria – have all qualified directly for next year’s tournament in Brazil. Cameroon and tournament debutant Malawi will contest the WAFCON final on Sunday.
Banyana Banyana hold on
South Africa needed patience against Nigeria until a moment of brilliance from Ronnel Donnelly sent Hildah Magaia through to square the ball for Thembi Kgatlana to score in the 56th.
Team captain Refiloe Jane seemed to seal the result when she scored with a deflected shot in the 77th. However, she was sent off with her second yellow card in stoppage time for stopping a goal-ward shot with her arm.
Christy Ucheibe scored the resultant penalty to set up a tense finale. South Africa goalkeeper Kaylin Swart stretched out her left boot to deny Michelle Alozie an equalizer at the end.
Ivory Coast still waiting
Defeat for Ivory Coast means missing out on what would have been its second World Cup appearance after 2015, while Ghana can maintain its hope of a fourth participation and first since 2007.
The Black Queens got off to a bad start Thursday with Princess Marfo penalized for an apparent foul on Ivorian captain Bernadette Amani in the area in the first minute.
Inès Konan kept her cool despite a three-minute delay for a VAR check and duly dispatched the penalty to open the scoring for Ivory Coast.
Ghana thought it had equalized early in the second half when goalkeeper Océane Lamfir flapped at a cross and Evelyn Badu squared the loose ball to Stella Nyamekye, who fired into the unguarded net. The goal was disallowed, however, after a VAR check deemed Lamfir still had control of the ball.
Princess finally headed in the equalizer before the hour mark, and Josephine Bonsu got the Black Queens’ winner from the penalty spot in the 72nd after Aboa Yapo was penalized for hand ball – again after a VAR check – when Grace Asantewaa’s shot hit her arm.
The intercontinental playoffs
Two teams from Africa and two from Asia will vie with one each from Oceania and South America in the first phase of the World Cup intercontinental playoffs at a centralized venue in November and December.
The top two from those six will advance to the second phase in February 2027, when they will face a country from Europe, another from South America, and two from the CONCACAF region to determine the final three qualifiers for the tournament.
___