Banyana lost 1–0 to Ivory Coast on Saturday afternoon in the 3rd/4th place play-off of the African Women’s Championship.
Vera Pauw's side failed to join Nigeria and Cameroon as the third team to represent Africa in Canada next year. Nigeria went on to win the tournament after beating Cameroon 2-0 in the Final.
A late goal by Guehai Ida shattered the South African ladies’ hopes of competing at the world event.
Pauw started with the team that beat Algeria 5–1 in the last group match, and Thoko Mndaweni starting in goals ahead of Roxanne Barker.
Banyana knew the significance of the match as they took off in attack mode, putting Ivory Coast under pressure. The South Africans enjoyed most of the possession in the opening stanza.
Sanah Mollo’s shot inside the box went over the crossbar before Amanda Dlamini forced the Ivorian keeper to parry her long-range shot out for a corner in the opening five minutes of the game.
Nompumelelo Nyandenialso came close to opening the scoring in the 12th minute, but her shot from outside the box went over the bar.
Banyana kept Ivory Coast in their own half for the most part of the first half, with Makhabane, Mollo, Ramalepe and Dlamini all coming very close to getting goals in the opening 30 minutes. Their chances went just inches wide or over the poles.
Ivory Coast looked threatening on one occasion only, but Mndaweni made a comfortable save from a set-piece shot taken by Akoffou Rita a couple of yards outside the box.
Banyana retaliated two minutes later, but Mollo’s header in front of goals went wide, while Van Wyk forced the Ivorian keeper to parry her on-target free-kick out for a corner in the dying minutes of the half.
Ivory Coast second-half substitute N’guessan Ange seemed to be a handful for the Banyana defence, keeping them busy in the opening minutes of the second half and forcing them to clear the ball out of danger in the 53rd minute.
Mndaweni made great saves, denying Ivory Coast any chance of opening the scoring.
Banyana continued with their bid to get the goal. Refiloe Jane’s shot from outside the box went over the crossbar in the 78th minute.
It was a game of two halves as Ivory Coast dominated most of the second half and Mndaweni was kept the busier of the two keepers.
The West African team scored the only goal of the match with six minutes of play remaining. Ida took a shot from close range after the ball bounced in the box from a corner kick.
Banyana pushed for an equaliser, with Portia Modise and Noko Matlou coming close in the dying minutes, but it was not to be.
