Morocco opened the scoring through Sakina Ouzraoui in the 31st minute before Ait El Haj scored from the penalty spot in the 52nd. Thembi Kgatlana pulled a goal back for Desiree Ellis’ side 15 minutes later, but the 2022 champions could not stage a late comeback. The win also confirms their qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil and face either Cameroon or Nigeria in the WAFCON semi-finals.
South Africa still have a faint chance of qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup after the loss to Morocco in Rabat knocked them out of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) contention, but appear to have been stripped of the identity that gave them their first title four years ago.
Banyana will face the loser of Sunday’s clash between Cameroon and Nigeria on Thursday in Casablanca with a place in the Inter-Confederation playoff tournament at stake.
The winner of that fixture will have, by then, already faced Morocco on Wednesday in the semi-finals.
