Four years ago, on October 25 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Katutura, Windhoek, then Banyana Banyana assistant coach Desiree Ellis sat down on a staircase and cried. Those were tears of pain and a squandered opportunity to go to the Fifa Women's World Cup to be held in Canada in 2015.
In conceding an 84th-minute goal against Ivory Coast in the crucial third/fourth-place play-off, they let go of a chance to represent Southern Africa at the women's showpiece.
This year they are clearly hungrier, smarter, better coached and better managed by Ellis as the full-time mentor, and the wounds of that painful evening in Windhoek have healed. Redemption was sought and it has been found in the best way possible.
Never has a final been so irrelevant, even though Nigeria had a score to settle after losing 1-0 to a South African side they've often dominated.
Whether they claim the continental women's crown is neither here nor there for Banyana Banyana.
The promised land that is the Women's World Cup has been reached. Surely now a cohesive professional women's football structure will be solidified and the gender pay gap closed.
With South African football being the way it is, that is probably pie in the sky, but with minimal resources the women's teams are showing their male counterparts how this qualification thing is done.
Recently, the women's Under-17 side gave a good account of themselves at their age-group event. So it's clear, the pipeline is there.
But sponsor Sasol cannot shoulder the burden alone. The countries with the best domestic professional structures are the ones that generally succeed on the world stage.
At some point, the novelty of World Cup qualification will wear off and more will be expected of the national women's teams. In the meantime, this is Banyana's moment to savour.
Banyana Banyana, you have made us proud...