By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Tanzania in a Wafcon Group B opener at Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco on Monday evening.
Diana Msewa opened the scoring late in the first half for Tanzania before Bambanani Mbane’s stoppage time equaliser ahead of the break. However, substitute Hasnath Mbamba came off the bench to snatch three points for Tanzania against the 2022 African champions.
The match marked a special milestone for midfielder Linda Motlhalo, who earned her 100th cap for the senior women’s national team.
Banyana Banyana will face Ivory Coast on 31 July before taking on Burkina Faso on 4 August.
South Africa is drawn in Group B alongside Tanzania, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. The top two teams in each group will progress to the quarter finals.
Meanwhile hosts Morocco batted away Kenya 4-0 in their tournament opener in Rabat on Sunday, with Algeria early beating Senegal 2-0 to kick off the biennial continental showpiece.
Senegal and Kenya meet in their next group fixture on Thursday at the Rabat Olympic Stadium, looking to keep their tournament hopes alive, while Morocco square off with fierce rivals and neighbours Algeria at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in the country’s capital.
The tournament, which is being held in Morocco from 26 July to 16 August 2026, also serves as a route to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, with the four semi-finalists qualifying automatically.