Banyana Banyana are just 90 minutes away from reaching a place in the 2011 women’s Soccer World Cup, after thrashing Mali 4-0 at the Sinaba Stadium in Daveyton, near Johannesburg, on Sunday.
Banyana finished in second place in Group A at the CAF African Women’s Championship.
The victory secured the home nation a semifinal place against the winner of Group B, to be decided on from Monday’s games.
The countries that will contest the final of the African women’s showpiece, to be played at the Sinaba stadium on Sunday, will automatically qualify to represent Africa at the women’s World Cup in Germany in June next year.
Banyana went into their final Group A fixture knowing that a win or a draw would see them to the semifinals.
For Mali it was a win-at-all-costs situation if they were to pip the South Africans for a place in the last four at the competition.
But a goal in each half by Banyana striker Amanda Dlamini ensured that there was no way back for the west African nation. In the 32nd minute, Dlamini powered home a header from a Nocawe Skiti corner-kick to open the Banyana tally, after relentless pressure by the hosts on the Malian goal area.
Dlamini doubled the hosts’ lead in the 76th minute, with a goal-mouth scramble, after some superb work on the right hand flank by 17-year-old Jermaine Seoposenwe.
Seoposenwe herself found the back of the Mali net with eight minutes of play remaining, while central defender Amanda Sister added Banyana’s fourth as she worked the ball over the Mali goal line from a free-kick in the 86th minute.
“Banyana Banyana created a host of scoring chances today [Sunday] and managed to capitalise on many of them and I am delighted that we are through to the semifinals” said Banyana coach Augustine Makalakalane. — Sapa