Reigning champions South Africa began their 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign with a confident 2-0 victory over Ghana in their Group C opener at the Honneur Stadium, Oujda, on Monday, July 7, 2025[1][2][4].
South Africa asserted their status as title contenders with early goals from Linda Motlhalo (penalty, 28th minute) and Jermaine Seoposenwe (32nd minute). Motlhalo converted from the spot following a foul on Noxolo Cesane, and minutes later, Seoposenwe capitalized on a clever pass from Lebohang Ramalepe to beat the Ghanaian goalkeeper[1][2][4].
Ghana, returning to WAFCON after missing the previous edition, showed attacking intent in the opening 15 minutes but missed key opportunities, most notably hitting the crossbar twice through Alice Kusi and Evelyn Badu. South Africa’s goalkeeper, Andile Dlamini, delivered a standout performance to maintain the clean sheet, making several crucial saves throughout the match[2][4][6].
The Black Queens struggled to break down South Africa’s organized defense in the second half, despite spells of pressure and a few close chances. South Africa managed the final stages comfortably, introducing substitutes Hildah Magaia and Ronnel Donnelly to control possession and withstand Ghana’s late offensive[1][2].
This result keeps South Africa’s opening-match winning streak at WAFCON intact, adding to previous first-game wins, including victories over Nigeria in 2018 and 2022. Ghana now faces a tough challenge in Group C, which also features Mali and Tanzania, and will need to regroup quickly before their next match against Mali on July 11, 2025[1][2].