Banyana Banyana Fight Back to Draw Against Ivory Coast at WAFCON

South Africa walked the tightrope in Casablanca and, somehow, they’re still on it.

Two goals down to Ivory Coast and staring at the exit door of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Banyana Banyana dragged themselves back from the brink, salvaging a 2-2 draw that keeps their campaign alive by the thinnest of margins.

The comeback belonged to their big names. Thembi Kgatlana struck first in the second half to haul South Africa back into the contest, a lifeline when their tournament looked ready to unravel. The belief returned, the tempo lifted, and suddenly Ivory Coast were the ones retreating.

Then came the moment that will linger if this story goes any further. Deep into added time, with the referee poised to blow, Hildah Magaia pounced. Her equaliser, scored seconds before the final whistle, turned despair into a roar of defiance and kept South Africa’s hopes flickering in Group B.

It was not the win they craved, but it was a point they simply could not afford to lose.

That single point, their first of the tournament after two matches, still leaves Banyana in trouble. They sit three points behind Ivory Coast in the group and no longer have their fate entirely in their own hands. The margins are brutal at this level, and South Africa now need more than just their own resolve; they need help.

Tanzania, also on three points, can seal a place in the quarterfinals with victory over Burkina Faso in this evening’s other Group B clash in Casablanca. If that result goes against South Africa’s hopes, the late heroics against Ivory Coast will feel more like a stay of execution than a turning point.

Banyana’s final group match comes on Tuesday against Burkina Faso. By then, the equation may be painfully simple or impossibly complex.

What is certain is this: after a night when they refused to bow out quietly, South Africa have earned the right to take their fight for survival all the way to the last whistle.