South Africa have won their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title on their fifth try after beating hosts Morocco 2-1 in the final in Rabat tonight.
Hildah Magaia scored twice in the space of eight minutes in the second half to hand Banyana Banyana the trophy in front of a full house of Moroccan fans at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium.
The victory ended a run of five finals without success for the South Africans, who won all their games in Morocco, starting with a 2-1 victory over Nigeria three weeks ago.
After a flat, scoreless first half, Magaia opened the scoring by tapping home in a reverse pass from Jermaine Seoposenwe in the 63rd minute.
Magaia then doubled the advantage in the 71st minute with another close-range finish, netting from a cross from Karabo Dhlamini that Morocco’s defenders failed to cut out.
The hosts gave themselves some hope and rattled the South Africans nine minutes later as Rosella Ayane scored after being set up by Fatima Tagnaout.
Banyana faced a nervy last 10 minutes of regulation time and another nine minutes of time added on, but held on to finally secure their first continental triumph.
South Africa had lost finals in 2000 to Nigeria, to Equatorial Guinea in 2008 and 2012, and Nigeria again in 2018 before eventually breaking the chain of heartbreak.
