By Chipo Sabeta, Sports Africa Editor, The African Gazette
London July 23, 2022- SOUTH AFRICA’S Banyana Banyana has been crowned champions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AWFCON) 2022 in Morocco. Many football followers and pundits in the football fraternity term this a ‘deserving, historic win’.
The Southern African side beat the host nation, Morocco 2-1 in the final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat courtesy of Hilda Magaia’s double in the 63rd and 71st minutes respectively. The Atlas Lioness had their late consolation via Rosella Ayana’s strike.
The win was South Africa’s first-ever AWFCON after finishing as runners-up five times in previous continental tournaments in 1995, 2000,2008, 2012, and 2018.
The victory also ended Nigeria’s dominance in the competition since its inception in 1991, with Nigeria having won it 11 times and Equatorial Guinea on two occasions.
Babatunde Ojora, a UEFA accredited sports journalist said he saw it coming following South Africa’s consistency in terms of football infrastructure investments in women’s football as well as their input in the women’s league.
“Congratulations to Bayana Banyana. It’s been a long time coming for Banyana Banyana. They’ve shown so much courage and dedication to lifting the coveted trophy”, Ojora told The African Gazette.
“Kudos to Desiree Ellis, becoming the first coach to lead South Africa to victory at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and also defeating Nigeria three times. This is a record I don’t think any coach will break or match anytime soon. Banyana Banyana has been ‘making it happen’ for women’s football in Southern Africa. National team players have become inspirational icons and role models for thousands of South African women and girls,” he said.
The Nigeria international sports journalist also applauded South Africa for professionally running the women’s premier league.
“South Africa has been working hard, they are one of the only countries on the continent to have a university women’s league, and now they have a professional Women’s league. It just tells you that there’s progression,” Ojora added.
As AWFCON gold winners, Banyana Banyana automatically secured their place at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand whilst the other three African slots were taken up by Nigeria, Zambia, and Morocco.
The Desiree Ellis’s-led side will have a second consecutive chance at the World Cup for the second time after finish.
Their journey to win the WAFCON saw them winning all six matches from the group stages to the final.
Zimbabwean broadcaster and sports enthusiasts Hugo Ribatika said the AWFCON gold accolade was the only missing silverware in their trophy cabinet.
Banyana Banyana’s win was South Africa’s second major international title since Bafana Bafana won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations.
“They are a very strong team and a very competitive one as well. Their positive energy from the onset was a clear sign of a common goal and I am happy that they finally won gold.
They have dominated in the competition finishing as runners-up five times. In Southern Africa, they have won the COSAFA on countless occasions. Their trophy cabinet is complete with eyes on the World Cup silverware,” he said.
Ribatika also hyped Ellis for turning around the fortunes of the South African national senior women’s team. Ellis was named CAF Women Coach of the Year for the third successive time in Rabat last week.
Ellis, a former Banyana player, replaced Vera Pauw on an interim basis in 2016 while the South African Football Association (SAFA) searched for a replacement.
She remained in the job for nearly two years before SAFA offered her the full-time job as Banyana head coach.
“It confirms that you don’t need to be a man to coach a winning team. It gives different perceptions as to how women coaches are viewed and it instills confidence in a lot of young women’s talent.
“Though women’s sports have certainly come a long way, they are far from equal with men’s sports in scale or popularity. Despite this imbalance, women in sports have certainly given us many reasons for celebration, he said.
“Coaches like Ellis must be celebrated. We need to honor the successful women in sports and it is important to grow women’s sport for women.”
Ellis guided Banyana to the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final – losing on penalties to Nigeria – and qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in the national team’s history.
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