South_Africa_women's_national_soccer_team

South Africa women's national soccer team

South Africa women's national soccer team

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The South Africa women's national football team, nicknamed Banyana Banyana (The Girls), is the national team of South Africa and is controlled by the South African Football Association.

See also: South Africa national soccer team
Quick Facts Nickname(s), Association ...

South African Women competed in two Olympic Games, two FIFA Women's World Cups, and 14 Women's African Cup of Nations, where they were runners up five times before winning once. They've also competed at all 10 COSAFA Women's Championships, where they won seven times, came second twice and finished in fourth place once.

History

Banyana Banyana's first official match was held on 30 May 1993 against Eswatini, which they won 14–0. Future Women's AFCON winning coach Desiree Ellis played in that game and scored three of the goals[2]

Their first international match outside of Africa was against China. They played two matches which they lost 8-0 and 13–0 with the latter being the heaviest defeat in their history. The team's first victory over a nation outside of Africa was in 2000, where they beat Scotland by 2–0. This was at the Cyrus Women's Cup.[3]

South Africa's biggest win came in a COSAFA Women's Championship match in Gqeberha on 31 July 2019, when they beat the Comoros 17–0. Captain Refiloe Jane scored 4 of the goals.[4][5]

Olympic Games

They qualified for Olympic football for the first time in 2012, with coach Joseph Mkhonza.[6] Their second Olympic participation was at 2016's Rio Olympics, under coach Vera Pauw.

Women's Africa Cup of Nations

Banyana appeared in 14 CAF Women's Championships (Now known as Women's AFCON) and were runners up on five occasions (1995, 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018) and third at two events (2006 and 2010), before eventually winning their first Women's Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, beating Morocco 2–1 in the final.[7]

FIFA Women's World Cup

Coached by Desiree Ellis, they qualified for their first FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019, in Group B with Germany, Spain and China. However, they lost all matches, and their only goal was against Spain when they went to a 1–0 lead only to lose 3–1.

South Africa qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup again in 2023, also coached by Desiree Ellis. During the group stages they lost 2–1 to Sweden after leading 1–0, drew 2–2 against Argentina after leading 2–0, but finally defeated Italy 3–2 and advanced to the Round of 16 for the very first time. They eventually lost 2–0 to the Netherlands.[8] Following the team's performance, Desiree Ellis would win the 2023 award for CAF Women's Coach of the Year.[9]

The top goal scorers at world cups are Thembi Kgatlana with 3, Hildah Magaia with 2, while Linda Motlhalo also scored one. South Africa's other goal was an own goal by Italy in 2023.

COSAFA Women's Championship

South Africa competed in all eleven COSAFA Women's Championships - a tournament featuring nations from the Southern African region - since its inception in 2002. They have won seven titles (in 2002, 2006, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020), finished second twice (in 2011 and 2022) and only failed to win a medal twice, when they finished fourth in 2021 and exited in the group stages 2023.[10]

In later years, because of South Africa's success and increased participation in bigger world events, management started sending newcomers to COSAFA tournaments, to broaden their talent pool. This contributed to a decline in Banyana Banyana's dominance at this event.[11]

Team image

Nicknames

The South Africa women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Banyana Banyana", which literally translates to "Girls Girls", but such double use is often interpreted to mean "all the girls". In the context of sport, it is also understood to mean "go girls, go girls".

This name is derived from the Senior Men's National team being "Bafana Bafana" which also literally means "the boys the boys". The nickname came into existence from fans shouting "bafana bafana" to mean "go boys, go boys" as encouragement during the South Africa men's team's first international game after many years of sporting isolation due to Apartheid policies in 1992, when they beat Cameroon 1–0 in Durban. The name stuck, and the female form was later applied to the women's team as well.

Banyana Banyana starting XI at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2023

2 July Friendly South Africa  0–5  Botswana Brakpan, South Africa
15:00 UTC+2
  • Gaonyadiwe 5', 13'
  • Dithebe 24'
  • Tholakele 27', 79'
 Stadium: Tsakane Stadium
Referee: Vistoria Shangula (Namibia)
15 July Friendly South Africa  2–0  Costa Rica Christchurch, New Zealand
  • Thembi Kgatlana 33'
  • Hildah Magaia 55'
 Stadium: Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub
23 July FIFA WC Group Sweden  2–1  South Africa Wellington, New Zealand
17:00 UTC+12
Report
Stadium: Wellington Regional Stadium
Attendance: 18,317
Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva (United States)
28 July FIFA WC Group Argentina  2–2  South Africa Dunedin, New Zealand
 Report
Stadium: Forsyth Barr Stadium
Attendance: 8,834
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley (New Zealand)
2 August FIFA WC Group South Africa  3–2  Italy Wellington, New Zealand
 Report Caruso 11' (pen.), 74' Stadium: Wellington Regional Stadium
Attendance: 14,967
Referee: María Carvajal (Chile)
6 August FIFA WC R16 Netherlands  2–0  South Africa Sydney, Australia
 Report Stadium: Sydney Football Stadium
Attendance: 40,233
Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)
21 September 2023 (2023-09-21) Friendly United States  3–0  South Africa Cincinnati, Ohio
19:30 ET
Stadium: TQL Stadium
Attendance: 22,016
Referee: Katia Garcia (Mexico)
24 September 2023 (2023-09-24) Friendly United States  2–0  South Africa Chicago, Illinois
17:30 ET
Report Stadium: Soldier Field
Attendance: 25,622
Referee: Carly Shaw-MacLaren (Canada)
4 October 2023 (2023-10-04) 2023 COSAFA WC GS South Africa  3–4  Malawi Pretoria, South Africa
12:00 UTC+2
Report
Stadium: Lucas Moripe Stadium
Referee: Antsino Twanyanyukwa (Namibia)
10 October 2023 (2023-10-10) 2023 COSAFA WC GS South Africa  3–1  Madagascar Johannesburg, South Africa
15:30 UTC+2
  • Velomanantsolo 43'
 Stadium: Dobsonville Stadium
Referee: Vistoria Shangula (Namibia)
10 October 2023 (2023-10-10) 2023 COSAFA WC GS Eswatini  0–3  South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa
15:30 UTC+2 Report
Stadium: Dobsonville Stadium
Referee: Rosalie Rosalie (Madagascar)
25 October 2023 (2023-10-25) 2024 Olympic qualifying DR Congo  1–1  South Africa Kinshasa, DR Congo
15:30 UTC+1
Report
Stadium: Stade des Martyrs
30 October 2024 Olympic qualifying South Africa  2–0
(3–1 agg.)		  DR Congo Pretoria, South Africa
Stadium: Lucas Moripe Stadium
Note: South Africa won 3–1 on aggregate
30 November 2023 (2023-11-30) 2024 AFWCON qualification Second round 1st leg Burkina Faso  1–1  South Africa Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast
17:00 UTC+1
  • Konaté 68'
 Report (SAFA)
Stadium: Charles Konan Banny Stadium
4 December 2023 (2023-12-04) 2024 AFWCON qualification Second round 2nd leg South Africa  2–0
(3–1 agg.)		  Burkina Faso Pretoria, South Africa
15:00 UTC+1
Report (SAFA) Stadium: Lucas Moripe Stadium
Note: South Africa won 3–1 on aggregate.

2024

23 February 2024 (2024-02-23) 2024 Olympic qualifying Tanzania  0–3  South Africa Dar es Salaam,Tanzania
 Stadium: Azam Complex Stadium
27 February 2024 (2024-02-27) 2024 Olympic qualifying South Africa  1–0
(4–0 agg.)		  Tanzania Mbombela,South Africa
 Stadium: Mbombela Stadium
Note: South Africa won 4–0 on aggregate.
5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) 2024 Olympic qualifying Nigeria  1–0  South Africa Abuja,Nigeria
17:00 UTC+1 Report Stadium: MKO Abiola Stadium
Referee: Ghada Mehat (Algeria)
9 April 2024 (2024-04-09) 2024 Olympic qualifying South Africa  0–0
(0–1 agg.)		  Nigeria Pretoria ,South Africa
19:30 UTC+2 Report
Stadium: Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Referee: Dorsaf Ganouati (Tunisia)
Note: Nigeria won 1–0 on aggregate.

Source: Global Sports Archive

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

More information Position, Name ...

Technical staff

More information Role, Name ...

Manager history

See also: Category:South Africa women's national soccer team managers

Players

See also: Category:South Africa women's international soccer players and Category:South African women's soccer players

Current squad

More information No., Pos. ...

Recent call ups

  • The following players have been called up to a South Africa squad in the past 12 months.
More information Pos., Player ...

Previous squads

FIFA Women's World Cup
Summer Olympics
Africa Women Cup of Nations
COSAFA Women's Championship
Turkish Women's Cup

Records

See also: Category:South Africa women's international soccer players
  • Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 2020.
More information Rank, Player ...

Honours

Continental

Regional


Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

Main article: South Africa at the FIFA Women's World Cup
More information FIFA Women's World Cup record, Year ...
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
More information FIFA Women's World Cup history, Year ...

Olympic Games

More information Summer Olympics record, Year ...
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Africa Women Cup of Nations

More information Africa Women Cup of Nations record, Year ...
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

African Games

More information African Games record, Year ...

COSAFA Women's Championship

More information COSAFA Women's Championship record, Year ...
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

All−time record against FIFA recognized nations

The list shown below shows the women's South Africa national soccer team's all−time international record against opposing nations.
*As of xxxxxx after match against xxxx.

Key
  Positive balance (more wins than losses)
  Neutral balance (as many wins as losses)
  Negative balance (more losses than wins)
More information Against, Pld ...

    Record per opponent

    *As ofxxxxx after match against xxxxx.

    Key
      Positive balance (more wins than losses)
      Neutral balance (as many wins as losses)
      Negative balance (more losses than wins)

    The following table shows South Africa's all-time official international record per opponent:

    More information Opponent, Pld ...

    See also

    National teams

    References

    1. [1]
      "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
    2. [2]
      "Desiree Ellis: How a trailblazing coach lifted S African football". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
    3. [3]
      "Reflecting on Banyana Banyana". SAFA Official Website. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
    4. [4]
      "Record breaking Banyana thrash Comoros 17-0 in opening COSAFA clash". News24. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
    5. [5]
      "Africa's World Cup women raise unfair pay and sexual abuse – DW – 07/18/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
    6. [6]
      "Banyana secure historic passage to London". FIFA. 12 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
    7. [7]
      "How South Africa finally won its first Africa Women Cup of Nations title". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
    8. [8]
      "Banyana Banyana Qualifies for the Knockouts". News24. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
    9. [9]
      Summerscales, Robert (11 December 2023). "Victor Osimhen And Asisat Oshoala Win African Footballer Of The Year Prizes On Big Night For Nigeria At 2023 CAF Awards Ceremony". FanNation Futbol. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
    10. [10]
      Shozi, Asanda (11 October 2023). "Banyana beat Eswatini but Bow Out of COSAFA Women's Champs". gsport4girls. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
    11. [11]
      "Dludlu To Lead Banyana At COSAFA Cup, Calls Up New-Look Squad". iDiski Times. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
    12. [12]
      "Amajita's success shows we are on the right track – SAFA President". South African Football Association. 13 February 2019.
    13. [13]
      "New look Banyana squad named". Sport24. 17 September 2002.
    14. [14]
      "Winds of change blow in Africa". FIFA. 31 March 2006. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
    15. [15]
      Mailwane, Tshepang (3 May 2015). "Soccer heroes of '96 now shout the odds from touchlines". Sunday Times. Augustine Makalakalane: Not a regular at Bafana, "Mthakathi" worked as Banyana Banyana coach from 2006 to 2011. He failed to qualify the team for the World Cup and was fired. The 49-year-old was suspended before his dismissal for allegedly sexually harassing his players.
    16. [16]
      Moholoa, Ramatsiyi (28 July 2011). "Safa signs up Mkhonza full-time". The Sowetan.
    17. [17]
      "Former Banyana Coach Ends SAFA Relationship". Soccer Laduma. 8 October 2014.
    18. [18]
      "SAFA Confirm Pauw Appointment". Soccer Laduma. 13 March 2014.
    19. [19]
      Roberts, Cheryl (20 September 2016). "Safa should go local with new Banyana coach". Independent Online.
    20. [20]
      "Desiree Ellis named new Banyana coach". Sport24. 22 February 2018.
    21. [21]
      Banyana Banyana🇿🇦 24-member squad to take on Nigeria🇳🇬 in the FINAL round of the CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifier.
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