Banyana Banyana’s Hildah Magaia celebrates after scoring a goal during their 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations Final against Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat last weekend FILE - Banyana Banyana’s Hildah Magaia celebrates after scoring a goal during their 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations Final against Morocco at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat last weekend. Photo: Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix
Durban — Hildah Magaia is a name that will be remembered amongst the greats of South African football following her Women African Cup of Nations final heroics.
Magaia found the back of the net twice in eight minutes as South Africa beat hosts Morocco in the final to win the nation their first ever continental crown.
Banyana Banyana, who had lost five previous finals, recorded six straight victories on their way to the continental crown in Morocco.
Magaia and the team came back home to a boisterous crowd on Tuesday. The striker openly admitted to IOL Sport that she probably wouldn't believe what they had done for a while.
"I'm still in disbelief honestly, I still sit and wonder if we really just did all of this," Magaia said.
"Maybe as the days move along and I get an opportunity to be alone, only then can I revert to all the moments and memories of Morocco. Maybe only then will it sink in."
The 27 year old forward is being mentioned alongside Bafana Bafana great, Mark Williams, following his double their iconic 1996 Afcon triumph.
Magaia dedicated her unbelievable final performance to Thembi Kgatlana, who picked a nasty injury in the early stages of the tournament.
"Everyone in the team begged for me and Jermaine (Seoposenwe) to please step up and do it for Thembi," she explained.
"I also told myself that I must do it for my teammate because I know if she was here then she would've done this with us so I just put everything on the line and played my heart out alongside Jermaine. "
Banyana not only won the Wafcon but also qualified for the next year's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Magaia, who plies her trade in South Korea for Sejong Sportstoto, believes that none of the players in the team are guaranteed a place in that squad and they need to continuously justify their selection at club level.
"We have to go back and work, that's all I can say. Each and every one of us is not guaranteed a place in the team therefore we need to go back to our respective teams and pick our hands up again for the coach to select us," she concluded.
IOL Sport
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