The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations just produced its first absolute earthquake, and it arrived courtesy of a relentless Tanzania squad.
In a Group B opener that nobody saw coming, the Twiga Stars tore up the script in Casablanca, claiming a dramatic 2-1 victory over former champions South Africa on Monday night. Positioned 65 places below Banyana Banyana in the world rankings, Bakari Shime’s side showed zero fear against one of the tournament heavyweights.
The tone was set in the 37th minute when player of the match Diana Msewa went on a dazzling solo run, cutting past the defense before squeezing a precise strike past Andile Dlamini. While South Africa managed to claw back right before half-time when Bambanani Mbane headed home a rebound, Tanzania refused to let the momentum slip away.
As the minutes ticked down toward what looked like a hard-fought draw, super-sub Hasnath Ubamba stepped up in the 87th minute. Receiving a throw-in on the right flank, Ubamba outpaced her marker and slammed home a tight-angle winner to trigger pure euphoria on the Tanzanian bench.
The historic result marks Tanzania’s first-ever head-to-head win over South Africa at the continental finals. With three massive points secured, the Twiga Stars sit firmly in control of Group B while sending a clear warning to the rest of Africa.
