Banyana Banyana complete Algeria double as Majiya shines again

Banyana Banyana made it two wins from two in their high-profile friendly series against Algeria, securing a clinical 2-0 victory at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi on Friday afternoon.

Following a narrow 1-0 win in the opening encounter earlier this week, Desiree Ellis’ charges produced an improved second-half display to seal a confidence-boosting double over the North Africans.

The afternoon was particularly significant for versatile defender Karabo Dhlamini, who was honoured for reaching the milestone of 50 caps in national team colours. Ellis utilised the fixture to test her squad depth, making six changes to the starting lineup that featured on Tuesday.

The big 50 for Cream.#SasolinSport#LiveTheImpossible#BanyanaBanyana pic.twitter.com/H883gejlp6

— Sasol in Sport (@SasolinSport) April 17, 2026

Banyana Banyana beat Algeria 2-0 at King Zwelithini Stadium

Despite a bright start at a vocal King Zwelithini Stadium, the reigning African champions struggled to find their clinical edge in the final third during the opening 45 minutes.

Gabriela Salgado thought she had broken the deadlock five minutes before the interval after a slick attacking move, but her celebrations were cut short as the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside.

Algeria, under the guidance of Farid Benstiti, remained disciplined and bold in their approach, frustrating the hosts as the teams retreated to the tunnel with the scoreline level at 0-0.

MAJIYA AND O’MALLEY DELIVER THE BLOWS

Coach Ellis opted for tactical personnel changes at the start of the second period, and the impact was almost immediate.

In the 55th minute, the deadlock was finally broken. Nthabiseng Majiya, who has been in scintillating form, found the back of the net for the second time in the series. Capitalising on a short-passing sequence on the edge of the area, the clinical forward pounced on a defensive lapse to fire a low drive into the bottom corner.

Banyana continued to dominate possession as the clock ticked down, looking for the cushion of a second goal. It arrived in the final minutes of regulation time when Shakira O’Malley showed great composure to double the advantage, effectively ending any hopes of an Algerian comeback.

JAPAN ASSIGNMENT ON THE HORIZON

This series serves as crucial preparation for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) scheduled for later this year.

The South African senior women’s national team will now shift their focus to an international trip to Asia. They are scheduled to face world powerhouses Japan in two friendlies on June 6 and June 9 in Osaka, as Ellis continues to fine-tune her squad for continental dominance.