South Africa Rescue Dramatic 2-2 Draw With 99th-Minute Equaliser Against Côte d’Ivoire

South Africa dramatically rescued a 2-2 draw against Côte d’Ivoire in their WAFCON Group B clash, with substitute Hildah Magaia scoring a stunning 99th-minute equaliser to keep the defending champions’ title defence alive.

South Africa dramatically rescued a 2–2 draw against Côte d’Ivoire yesterday, July 31, 2026, in their second Group B match of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). A stunning 99th-minute equalizer from substitute Hildah Magaia saved the defending champions from the brink of early elimination at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca.

Côte d’Ivoire stunned Banyana Banyana with a first-half blitz as G. Sery executed a brilliant double, capitalising on rapid wing counter-attacks to hand the Lady Elephants a 2–0 cushion going into the break. South Africa fought back aggressively in the final half-hour. Star striker Thembi Kgatlana pulled one back in the 63rd minute by rifling a spectacular shot into the net.

Deep into stoppage time, substitute Ronnel Donnelly floated a perfect cross over the Ivorian keeper, allowing Magaia to smash home a left-footed volley to lock down the draw. South Africa thoroughly dominated the offensive metrics, unleashing 11 total shots, but faced massive difficulty breaking past a lethal, clinical Ivorian transition game.

South Africa completed 266 accurate passes to Côte d’Ivoire’s record, while Côte d’Ivoire recorded 15 defensive interventions to South Africa’s 24.

Coach Desiree Ellis made massive structural adjustments to the squad, dropping several veterans over 30 to add fresh youth and dynamism following their opening defeat. The high-stakes nature of the match created intensive defensive friction, with referees flashing three yellow cards across the physical midfield lanes.

Côte d’Ivoire moves to four points but misses an outright opportunity to capture early quarter-final progression. South Africa picks up a vital single point, keeping their title defence dreams fully alive ahead of their final pool fixture against Burkina Faso.

Source: Accra Street Journal 

Last Updated on August 1, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

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