Banyana Banyana Cruise Into Next Olympic Qualifying Round After Madagascar Rout

Banyana Banyana booked their place in the next round of the Olympic qualifiers after defeating Madagascar 3-0 in the second leg at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday evening. The victory completed a dominant 7-0 aggregate triumph for the South Africans, who once again showcased their superiority over the two-legged tie.

After securing a comfortable advantage in the first leg, South Africa entered the return fixture determined to finish the job in front of a passionate home crowd. The supporters created a lively atmosphere throughout the evening as Banyana Banyana looked to maintain their impressive momentum.

Coach Desiree Ellis opted to rotate her squad, introducing several fresh faces into the starting line-up. Among those handed an opportunity was experienced forward Thembi Kgatlana, who captained the side and led by example with her energy and movement in attack.

Despite controlling possession and creating several promising opportunities, South Africa were unable to find a breakthrough during the opening half. Madagascar defended stubbornly and managed to keep the score level heading into the halftime break.

The deadlock was finally broken moments after the restart when Gabriela Salgado-Moodaly found the back of the net. Her goal provided the spark Banyana Banyana needed and rewarded the hosts for their patience and persistent attacking play.

With the pressure lifted, South Africa began to dominate proceedings even further. Their passing combinations and movement caused constant problems for the visitors, who struggled to contain the African champions during the second half.

The introduction of Ronnel Donnelly once again proved decisive. Having already netted a hat-trick in the first leg, the in-form attacker continued her remarkable scoring run by adding two more goals after coming off the bench.

Donnelly’s first strike effectively put the result beyond doubt before she completed her brace later in the match. Her two-goal contribution took her tally to five goals across the two matches, underlining her importance to the national team’s attacking ambitions.

The victory also highlighted South Africa’s defensive strength. Across both legs, Banyana Banyana scored seven goals and did not concede a single goal, providing further evidence of the balance and quality within the squad as they continue their preparations for major international assignments.

Having successfully navigated the second round, the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions will now face Angola in the third qualifying round scheduled for February and March next year after the Angolans eliminated Namibia. The matches against Madagascar also served as valuable preparation for next month’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Play-Offs in Rabat, Morocco, where Banyana Banyana will face Chinese Taipei, Ecuador and Uzbekistan in a bid to secure their place on the global stage.