Banyana Banyana's Hopeful Draw Against Ivory Coast

South Africa staggered, then finally stood tall.

Banyana Banyana left Casablanca with a 2-2 draw against Ivory Coast on Friday, a result that keeps their Women's Africa Cup of Nations hopes flickering ahead of a decisive Group B clash with Burkina Faso on August 4. It was messy, it was nervy, and at times it was downright poor. But it was alive.

For 45 minutes, South Africa looked like a team drifting towards the exit.

Torn Apart on the Break

Ivory Coast did not need long to expose South Africa’s soft underbelly. Twice in the first half, the West Africans sliced through on the counter, and twice Grace Sery finished with ruthless calm.

Her first, on 18 minutes, came from a swift transition that left the South African backline scrambling and outnumbered. The second, on 36 minutes, carried the same theme: Banyana stretched, the midfield bypassed, the defence unable to reset before Sery punished them again.

South Africa offered almost nothing in response. One move, one moment, hinted at what they could be. Linda Motlhalo slid a clever ball in behind for Thembi Kgatlana, who darted through and forced Aramatou Diakité to rush out and smother. It was sharp, incisive, and gone in an instant.

For the rest of the half, Kgatlana might as well have been on an island. Isolated. Starved of service. Anonymous.

Kgatlana Answers the Question

The Tigres UANL forward has carried the weight of a familiar question: are her best days in Banyana colours over?

On this evidence, not if she gets the right help.

She once thrived with Jermaine Seoposenwe knitting attacks together before her retirement last year. Since then, no one has truly stepped into that role. Attempts have come and gone, and one of the players most heavily criticised has been Mamelodi Sundowns striker Ronnel Donnelly.

On Friday, Donnelly showed exactly why coach Desiree Ellis keeps turning back to her.

Donnelly Changes the Picture

Introduced from the bench, the 22-year-old did not suddenly become Seoposenwe. She didn’t need to. She brought her own toolkit: drawing defenders into duels, contesting everything in the air, occupying centre-backs so others could breathe.

Shortly after coming on, she carved out space in the box but couldn’t get a clean shot away. The chance looked gone. Instead, the ball was recycled, worked back into Kgatlana’s orbit.

This time, the veteran did not waste it.

Kgatlana cut inside, opened her body and drove South Africa back into the contest with just under 20 minutes plus stoppage time remaining. A flash of the old electricity, and suddenly the game tilted.

Ivory Coast, who had cruised for long spells, now felt the squeeze. The rhythm changed. Every second ball seemed to fall to a green shirt. Every clearance came straight back.

Stoppage-Time Release

Deep into stoppage time, the pressure finally cracked the Ivorian resistance.

Donnelly rose again, flicking on a header with just enough precision to find Hildah Magaia bursting through. Magaia did the rest, smashing home the equaliser and igniting a South African bench that had spent most of the night living on the edge.

For Donnelly, it was a moment of vindication. For Magaia, another big contribution on a big stage. For Banyana, it was oxygen.

Group B on a Knife-Edge

The draw reshapes, but does not resolve, Group B.

Ivory Coast sit on four points from two games, with a goal difference of +3 after their 4-1 opening win over Burkina Faso. Tanzania, who beat South Africa 2-1 in their first outing, went into their Friday night clash with Burkina Faso on three points and a +1 goal difference.

South Africa now have a single point and a goal difference of -1. Burkina Faso are still without a point.

The maths is simple enough for Banyana: nothing less than a win against Burkina Faso on August 4 will do if they want any chance of reaching the quarter-finals. Head-to-head records, not goal difference, will decide ties on points, adding another layer of intrigue to the final round.

Beyond that, the stakes are enormous. The four semi-finalists will book tickets to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. The two best losing quarter-finalists will still have a route, heading into African playoffs and then the Inter-Confederation Playoff.

Selection Call for Ellis

Ellis now faces a clear tactical question. With backs to the wall and goals potentially crucial, does she lean into the attacking quartet that finally unsettled Ivory Coast?

Donnelly’s presence freed Kgatlana. Magaia’s late strike underlined her threat. Lebogang Ramalepe’s energy and width add another dimension. Starting with Donnelly, Kgatlana, Ramalepe and Magaia as a front four is no longer a gamble born of desperation; it is a genuine option backed by evidence from a strong opponent.

South Africa’s path is brutally narrow. But if they are to go out, the closing stages in Casablanca set the standard for how: front foot, aggressive, and refusing to accept the script.

Burkina Faso will decide whether this comeback was the start of a revival or just a defiant roar before the curtain falls.