South Africa rescued a dramatic 2-2 draw against Ivory Coast on Friday in their second Group Stage match at WAFCON 2026, keeping their qualification hopes alive.
The Ivorians looked set to book an early place in the knockout stage after taking a two-goal lead, but a spirited second-half comeback denied them all three points.
Ivory Coast controlled the opening half and found the breakthrough in the 18th minute when Grâce Sery finished off an assist from N. Ouedraogo. The same combination struck again in the 36th minute as Sery completed her brace to give the Elephants a deserved 2-0 advantage at the break.
South Africa responded after halftime, with captain Thembi Kgatlana reducing the deficit in the 71st minute after connecting with a pass from Refiloe Jane. The pressure continued to build, and although Magahai initially saw a goal ruled out by VAR, she finally found the equalizer in the ninth minute of stoppage time after Donnely set her up.
The result leaves Ivory Coast at the top of the group with four points after following up their 4-1 opening win over Burkina Faso with a draw. South Africa, who had lost their first match to Tanzania, stay in contention thanks to a valuable point. On the final matchday, South Africa will face Burkina Faso, while Ivory Coast take on Tanzania, with both fixtures scheduled for August 4 at 8:00 PM GMT.
