Banyana find Wafcon stride reaching quarters with thrashing of Mali

Banyana Banyana found their roar at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco as they put Mali to the sword with a 4-0 win in their final Group C game in Oujda on Monday night to emphatically book their place in the quarterfinals.

Lebohang Ramalepe opened the scoring in the fifth minute at Stade d'Honneur before captain Refiloe Jane added another with a 32nd-minute free-kick.

In the second half Hildah Magaia (61st) and substitute Ronnel Donnelly (79th) completed a hefty score line that will give Banyana momentum and confidence going into the knockout stage.

Coach Desiree Ellis' team needed a point to be sure of progression, though could have gone through with a defeat, which was confirmed when Ghana thrashed Tanzania 4-1 in Berkane to go to second place above Mali. Mali progressed as one of the best third-placed teams.  

The South African defending champions, though, after a 2-0 opening win against Ghana where they played well in patches, then a disappointing 1-1 draw against Tanzania, chose to go through to the quarters showing their intent to retain their title.

Banyana clinched the top place in Group C and will meet Senegal, the third-placed finishers in Group A with three points behind hosts Morocco and Zambia (both seven points), in their quarterfinal on Saturday.

An advantage for South Africa is they stay at Stade d'Honneur, where they played their three group games. Senegal played in Mohammedia twice and Rabat once.

The South Africans were forceful in attack against a solid Mali. Banyana ground possession from the West Africans and absorbed Mali's decent forward movement with strong defence.

They worked hard for each other in the opening half and the result was a 2-0 lead by the break.

Livewire attacker Jermaine Seoposenwe was involved in the two strikes.

She battled for the ball in the middle then fed Banyana's irrepressible midfielder Ramalepe on the right to pick her spot with a shot blasted past Mali goalkeeper Fatoumata Karentao for the early opener.

On a breakout run from a stray Mali pass Seoposenwe earned a free-kick on the left edge of the area as she was fouled by Kani Konté.

Jane's first attempt from the set piece forced a stop from Karentao, but Moroccan referee Bouchra Karboubi ordered a retake, apparently for the wall encroaching. Jane's second was hit powerfully, going in off the attempted block of the Mali keeper.

Banyana continued to apply pressure back from the change rooms. 

Just past the hour defender Karabo Dhlamini produced a superb defence-splitting pass from deep for Magaia to run onto, the striker finishing low past Karentao.

Two substitutes combined for the fourth, Nonhlanhla Mthandi played into space on the right to cut back for Donnelly to sweep past Karentao.