Wafcon 2024: Holders South Africa beat Senegal on penalties to reach semi-finals

South Africa keeper Andile Dlamini produced 2 good saves arsenic holders South Africa overcame Senegal 4-1 successful a punishment shootout to scope the semi-finals of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) successful Morocco.

An different dull crippled had finished goalless aft extra-time astatine the Honneur Stadium successful Oudja.

But successful the shootout, Dlamini went the close mode to contradict the tournament's associated apical scorer Nguenar Ndiaye and Meta Kande, portion the defending champions converted each 4 of their spot-kicks.

Fittingly for Banyana Banyana, it was defender Bambanani Mbane, arguably their champion subordinate astatine the tournament, who struck the winning penalty.

South Africa volition present look Nigeria, who thrashed Zambia 5-0 connected Friday, successful Tuesday's archetypal semi-final successful Casablanca (16:00 GMT).

The winners volition past instrumentality connected either Morocco oregon Ghana, who beat Algeria connected penalties earlier connected Saturday to scope the past four.

The game's opening exchanges were evenly matched, with some teams failing to person the opportunities that came their way.

Senegal, making their 2nd successive quality successful the knockout signifier of a Wafcon, showed nary fearfulness against their much established opponents, making beingness hard passim and creating their archetypal accidental arsenic aboriginal arsenic the 3rd infinitesimal erstwhile Ndiaye forced Dlamini to prevention with her feet.

At the different end, Senegal's 18-year-old goalkeeper Adji Ndiaye was noticeably tense with her footwork and positioning successful the opening exchanges, astir gifting experienced striker Jermaine Seoposenwe a extremity midway done the archetypal half.

Despite that adjacent miss, it was the Lionesses of Teranga who had the amended chances up to the break, with Marseille striker Mama Diop, the game's champion outfield player, causing problems for the South African defence with her tallness and awareness.

The defending champions, meanwhile, were constricted to a Karabo Dhlamini free-kick from conscionable extracurricular the punishment country that was struck weakly into the arms of keeper Ndiaye.

The 2nd fractional was a carnal matter arsenic the West African underdogs continued to contradict Banyana space.

It took until the 80th infinitesimal earlier Desire Ellis' squad created a wide chance, with an unmarked Lebohang Ramalepe missing with a header.

Diop besides past had her ain accidental to triumph it, lifting a towering header from a agelong shot disconnected people successful stoppage clip astatine the extremity of 90 minutes.

South Africa created much successful extra-time, with Ramalepe initially reasoning she had breached the deadlock.

The midfielder slotted location Refiloe Jane's through-ball astatine the extremity of the opening play of extra-time, lone to spot the emblem spell up for offside.

After the break, Senegal keeper Ndiaye made her archetypal important intervention, tipping implicit a changeable from Hildah Magaia, the subordinate whose goals broke Moroccan hearts successful the final 3 years ago.

It looked arsenic if a lapse successful attraction would beryllium needed to find a goal, thing that appeared to hap conscionable earlier the last whistle erstwhile Magaia was brought down successful the container by defender Wolimata Ndiaye.

However, nary punishment was awarded pursuing a lengthy video adjunct referee (VAR) check.

With neither broadside capable to find the net, it was near to Dlamini and Mbane to constitute their names into South African shot history, helping their squad triumph a archetypal Wafcon shootout pursuing erstwhile defeats against Cameroon successful 2006 and Nigeria successful the 2018 final.

But the holders volition request to amended if they are to flooded a Nigeria broadside that is yet to concede a extremity astatine the tourney and dispatched highly rated Zambia with easiness successful their quarter-final to proceed the quest for a record-extending 10th title.