Tanzania Shock South Africa as Côte d’Ivoire Return with Four-Goal Statement
Tanzania produced a disciplined and determined performance against a heavily favored South African side on Monday at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca.
Diana Msewa gave the East Africans the lead in the 38th minute with a composed finish, taking the ball from the center circle into the box and driving it past goalkeeper Andile Dlamini. South Africa responded deep into first-half stoppage time when Bambanani Mbane headed home a rebound from close range after the Tanzanian keeper parried a corner.
With the contest finely balanced in the second half, substitute Hasnath Ubamba struck the decisive blow late in the match. Receiving a throw, she outpaced her defender and drove a low shot past Dlamini from a tight angle to secure a historic 2-1 win. Diana Msewa was officially voted the Player of the Match for her exceptional performance.
The victory gives Tanzania valuable momentum ahead of their next fixture against Burkina Faso, while South Africa must recover before facing Côte d’Ivoire.
Later in the evening, Côte d’Ivoire celebrated their first appearance at the tournament since 2014 with a ruthless display against West African rivals Burkina Faso at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium. Rebecca Elloh converted a 7th-minute penalty to settle any early nerves. Striker Ines Konan then took center stage, scoring twice in the first half – in the 14th and 23rd minutes, with crucial assists provided by Rosemonde Kouassi and Nsira Ouedraogo to put the Lady Elephants firmly in control.
Burkina Faso raised hopes of a recovery when Adama Congo found the net just one minute into the second half. However, those hopes were short-lived. In the 56th minute, Nsira Ouedraogo capped off an outstanding individual performance by scoring Côte d’Ivoire’s fourth goal, restoring the three-goal cushion and sealing the 4-1 triumph.
The contrasting results have immediately shaken up Group B. Tanzania’s upset over the 2022 champions and Côte d’Ivoire’s emphatic statement of intent mean every remaining group point is critical.
