Banyana Banyana’s World Cup dream is still alive despite bottling their two-goal lead to share spoils with Argentina during their must-win encounter early on Friday morning.
Coach Desiree Ellis made two changes to the starting line-up that went up against Sweden, with keeper Kaylin Swart being preferred over regular starter Andile Dlamini once again.
Both teams started the game with intent, as there was high intensity in the opening stages of the game, but with neither side creating any clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities.
South Africa suffered a massive blow when captain Refiloe Jane was stretchered off the pitch after sustaining an ankle injury 20 minutes after the game had started, which saw Kholoso Biyana replace her in the middle of the park.
The South Africans broke the deadlock through the intervention of the VAR, after Thembi Kgatlana beat the offside trap and found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and set up Linda Motlhalo who found the back of the net.
The Argentines almost made an instant response, but badly positioned Swart was saved by the ball hitting the side of the woodwork.
Moments before the break, Kgatlana thought she had doubled the lead, but Banyana’s jubilations were short-lived after the VAR ruled the goal out for offside and went into half-time in the driving seat.
Banyana picked up from where they left off and Kgatlana missed a golden opportunity when she failed to connect with a well-worked pass from Jermaine Seoposenwe.
Kgatlana did, however, make up for her previous mistake and finally got into the score sheet in the 65th minute when she fired a shot from close range, thanks to Seoposenwe’s effort, who worn the ball from the edge of the box and whipped in a cross for the speedy winger.
Argentina did not want to go down without a fight, as they handed themselves a lifeline 73rd minute after a super strike from outside of the box, which left Swart with no chance.
Five minutes later, the South Americans finally got an equalizer through a Romina Nunez’ header, who leaped the highest and caught Swart in the bottom corner.
Banyana face Italy in their last Group G encounter and will need nothing less than three points to keep their world cup dream alive.
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