Defending champions South Africa will continue their title defence with a quarterfinal showdown against Senegal on Saturday at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2024, as both teams clash in Oudja in what is only their second-ever meeting in the competition—and their first in a knockout round.

Their only previous encounter came in the 2012 group stage in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, where South Africa emerged 1-0 winners thanks to a 70th-minute strike from Andisiwe Mcgoyi. A dozen years on, much has changed, but Banyana Banyana’s dominance over West African sides remains remarkably intact.

South Africa: Knockout Pedigree and Defensive Steel

The reigning champions enter the last eight on the back of a commanding 4-0 win over Mali that sealed top spot in Group C and extended their unbeaten run in open play at WAFCON to 14 matches (W11 D3). That run includes victories over traditional heavyweights like Nigeria (twice), Mali (twice), and Ghana, with the only blemish being a 0-0 draw in the 2018 final, which they lost on penalties to Nigeria.

Under coach Desiree Ellis, South Africa have become a formidable tournament team. They have now reached the knockout rounds in 11 WAFCON editions—including the last nine consecutively—and have won their last three knockout matches, all by a single-goal margin and all with clean sheets.

In direct knockout matches under Ellis, South Africa have an unblemished record:

• 2018 Semifinal: 2-0 vs Mali
• 2022 Quarterfinal: 1-0 vs Tunisia
• 2022 Semifinal: 1-0 vs Zambia

Goalkeeper Andile Dlamini has been in fine form, keeping clean sheets in both her appearances at the current tournament and making 10 saves—just one shy of her total from the entire 2022 campaign. Meanwhile, defender Lebogang Ramalepe has contributed directly to three goals (1 goal, 2 assists) and created a team-high six chances.

Senegal: Searching for History Amid Inconsistency

Senegal, meanwhile, are seeking to break new ground. After reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in 2022, they have returned to the last eight but will be hoping to go one better this time by reaching their first-ever WAFCON semifinal. Their only previous knockout experience came in 2022 when they took Zambia to penalties after a 1-1 draw but lost the shootout.

The current campaign began brightly for the Lionesses of Teranga with a resounding 4-0 win over DR Congo. However, back-to-back losses to Zambia (3-2) and hosts Morocco (1-0) have left questions about their defensive solidity and consistency. They have now lost four of their last five WAFCON games (W1 D1 L4).

Interestingly, Senegal’s matches have been high on early drama: seven of the 10 goals (scored and conceded) in their three group-stage matches came in the first half. They are yet to feature in a 0-0 draw in WAFCON history, and all signs point to another open contest in Oudja.

Head-to-Head and Tactical Insight

South Africa’s superiority in knockout matches and their excellent record against West African opposition (five wins and a draw since 2016 in open play) gives them a clear psychological edge. They’ve conceded only once in their last six such matches, scoring 11 goals in the process.

Senegal’s struggle against Southern African sides is notable—they’ve faced Zambia twice (one draw, one loss) and lost their only game against South Africa. Their attack can be potent, especially early in matches, but their defence has conceded six times in their last three WAFCON games.

What’s at Stake

Victory for South Africa would put them in their 11th WAFCON semifinal, cementing their status as the continent’s most consistent performers. For Senegal, a win would mark a historic breakthrough into the tournament’s final four—a milestone that has so far eluded them.

Key Players to Watch

• South Africa: Andile Dlamini (GK), Lebogang Ramalepe (DF), Linda Motlhalo (MF), Jermaine Seoposenwe (FW)
• Senegal: Hapsatou Diallo (FW), Nguenar Ndiaye (FW), Tenning Sene (MF), Safietou Sagna (DF)

Kickoff Time:

Saturday, July 20, 2024 – 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT)
Venue: Oudja, Morocco

Expect a tightly contested affair, but South Africa’s experience, discipline, and history in the latter stages could once again prove decisive.

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By KUNLE SOLAJA.

An evenly poised quarterfinal showdown awaits in Berkane this Saturday as Ghana and Algeria clash for a place in the semifinals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Kick-off is scheduled for 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT) in what promises to be a gripping North vs West Africa duel.

The encounter marks the fourth WAFCON meeting between the two sides, with Ghana holding a slight historical edge—winning twice to Algeria’s single victory.

Notably, all three previous meetings produced a winner, with each decided by a single-goal margin.

Their first encounter came at the 2010 group stage, where Ghana came from behind to beat Algeria 2-1, thanks to a second-half brace by Agnes Aduako after Isma Ouadah’s early opener.

Algeria got their revenge in 2014, winning 1-0 with a late goal from Houria Affak. In their most recent WAFCON clash in 2018, Ghana triumphed 1-0 via a 13th-minute strike from Gladys Amfobea.

Despite those past meetings, none of the teams progressed beyond the group stage in those respective years.

This quarterfinal marks a new milestone—especially for Algeria, who are reaching the knockout stage for the first time in their six WAFCON appearances.

The Algerian team has broken new ground in Morocco. They finished the group stage unbeaten, not conceding a single goal across three matches—a defensive record matched only by Nigeria.

 Their run of 276 minutes without conceding is the longest active streak in the tournament, with their last goal allowed dating back to a 3-2 loss to Mali in 2018.

However, their offensive output has been less impressive. Algeria scored just one goal in the group stage—the lowest among all quarterfinalists and their lowest tally in any WAFCON group stage with three games played.

Still, Algeria’s disciplined defending and tactical organisation have kept them in contention.

They notably held defending champions Nigeria to a goalless draw in their final group game, avoiding defeat to the Super Falcons for the first time. Standout performer Wassila Alouache won eight duels in that match—the highest by any Algerian player at the tournament so far.

For Ghana, this match is both a test of resilience and an opportunity to return to familiar heights. The Black Queens struggled early in the group stage, failing to win their first two matches, but roared back with a dominant 4-1 victory over Tanzania to seal their quarterfinal place.

This is Ghana’s first appearance in a WAFCON quarterfinal due to the new tournament format. In their previous six knockouts, they advanced directly to the semifinals. With a win, Ghana would reach their seventh semifinal—adding to an already storied WAFCON history.

Their record in knockout matches reads three wins and three losses, with all three victories secured in regulation time. Ghana’s only WAFCON penalty shootout appearance came in 2004 when they defeated Ethiopia 6-5 after a goalless third-place playoff.

However, one area of concern for Ghana will be their defensive record. They are the only quarterfinalists yet to keep a clean sheet at WAFCON 2024 and have conceded in each of their last five WAFCON games. Their last shutout came in their 2018 win—ironically—against Algeria.

Saturday’s match offers contrasting narratives: Algeria, a defensive revelation looking to make history as only the second North African team to reach a WAFCON semifinal; and Ghana, a traditional powerhouse hoping to rediscover its former glory.

With Morocco already in the semifinals, a victory for Algeria would also mark the first time two North African teams reach that stage in the same WAFCON edition. But Ghana will be keen to halt that momentum and keep their title hopes alive. The stage is set for a thrilling clash.

Past WAFCON Meetings of Ghana and Algeria:

 2 November 2010 – Group B: Algeria 1 (Ouadah 4′) Ghana 2 (Aduako 62′, 73′) – Sinaba Stadium, South Africa

12 October 2014 – Group B: Algeria 1 (Affak 87’) Ghana 0 – Independence Stadium, Namibia

17 November 2018 – Group A: Ghana 1 (Amfobea 13′) Algeria 0 – Accra Sports Stadium, Ghana

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Zambian publication Bola News has reported a candid and emotional post-match reaction from Copper Queens head coach Nora Häuptle following her team’s 5-0 thrashing by Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Friday in Casablanca.

Speaking at the press conference after the match, Häuptle acknowledged Nigeria’s superiority and congratulated the Super Falcons on their emphatic victory.

“Very clear loss for us. Congratulations to Nigeria for the well-deserved victory. I think today we need to accept that Nigeria was better than us,” she said. “None of us has been on top—neither the players nor me as coach. It was a collective loss.”

Bola News highlighted that the Swiss-born tactician pointed to the significant gap in international exposure between both sides, noting Nigeria’s deep bench of foreign-based players as a key factor in their dominance.

“In the Nigerian squad, you see almost everyone plays abroad—either in France or America. They have much more players abroad. Nigeria is a country with about 200 million people, and Zambia has just 20 million. We don’t have so much talent,” she lamented.

She added that while Zambia currently has around nine or ten players abroad, the majority of her squad still play in the domestic league and are not yet physically or tactically on par with elite-level teams.

“We’ve seen that physically, we’re not on the same level. We need to go back and find ways for our players to go abroad earlier and develop.”

Häuptle’s earlier pre-match comments that Zambia were “coming to hunt” were referenced by Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade as a source of motivation. But despite the backlash and the heavy defeat, the coach stood by her words and remained focused on Zambia’s long-term vision.

“We said we were going to hunt. Nigeria are several-time winners, but we are on a growth path and development journey. We will also hunt in the next tournament. We are hungry and will continue to improve. We don’t care much what others say,” she insisted.

While the Super Falcons move on to face the winner of Saturday’s clash between South Africa and Senegal in the semifinals, Zambia will shift their attention to the 2026 WAFCON qualifiers, where they will face Namibia in a home-and-away tie this October. The qualifiers will also serve as a pathway to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Meanwhile, hosts Morocco have also advanced to the semifinals after a 3-1 win over Mali. The Atlas Lionesses will now face the winner of the Ghana vs Algeria match as they aim for back-to-back WAFCON final appearances, having finished as runners-up in 2022.

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