WAFCON Prep: Morocco vs Banyana Full Match Preview and Prediction
Sasol Banyana Banyana close out their 2025 calendar with a demanding away friendly against Morocco on Tuesday, 2 December 2025, a fixture designed to sharpen the squad ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations hosted by the same opponents. The venue will be confirmed in due course, while coach Desiree Ellis is expected to finalise her travelling squad shortly.
Kick-off & Where to Watch
Date: Tuesday, 2 December 2025
Time: 19:30 CAT
TV: SABC Sport
Stream: sabc-plus.com
The match forms the final camp of the year for Banyana, providing Ellis with one more opportunity to evaluate combinations and integrate new players before preparations switch fully to WAFCON.
Ellis: “A real, physical, tactical test”
Ellis is anticipating a heavyweight contest against one of Africa’s fastest-rising teams.
“Morocco are probably the best team in North Africa right now. You know they will bring the physicality,” she said.
“We’ve faced many physical opponents this year, but very few who play a style similar to ours. This will tell us a lot about where we are.”
Morocco have contested the last two WAFCON finals, building a reputation for structure, intensity and slick ball circulation.
Mbane: “Consistency must return”
Defensive stalwart Bambanani Mbane says the mood in camp is upbeat, with players aware of the significance of this final 2025 test.
“The atmosphere is good. Everyone is working towards the same goal. This camp helps us measure how far we’ve come and what still needs improvement.”
On defensive discipline, she added:
“Keeping a clean sheet makes my job easier,” she laughed. “We communicate a lot, set match goals, help each other. It’s all about consistency.”
Reflecting on a turbulent year
Mbane admits 2025 was not smooth sailing:
“Honestly, our growth this year wasn’t great because we were not consistent. Something was missing.”
She highlighted the bruising qualifiers against DR Congo:
“Yho, they were physical. But we pushed through and qualified. I’m proud of the team for that.”
Her message for 2026 is simple:
“If we can be consistent in our performances, we can be a much better team.”
Why Morocco Is the Perfect Benchmark
Mbane believes this fixture is exactly what Banyana need:
“They’re a good, consistent team. I’m happy we’re playing them because it helps us weigh ourselves with the new faces coming in.”
She outlined Morocco’s biggest weapons:
“Their passing, their movement off the ball, their counter-attacks… Yoh!”
But she insists Banyana must stick to their identity:
“We need to focus on our own strengths. We know what we’re capable of when we play our game.”
Prediction
Expect a tight, tactical match between two sides eyeing strong WAFCON starts.
Morocco: Home advantage, structure, cohesion.
Banyana Banyana: Experience, pace in wide areas, and a renewed push for consistency.
Prediction: Morocco 1–1 South Africa – a competitive, high-quality encounter with both teams testing depth and new combinations.