Huge Blow for Banyana Banyana's 2022 AWCON Hopes as Thembi Kgatlana Misses Tourney Because of Injury

• The South African senior national women's team's bid for an inaugural Africa Women Cup of Nations title has hit a worrying snag
• Star Banyana Banyana striker Thembi Kgatlana had to be carried off with an injury against Botswana last night
• The injury was much worse than initially feared, as she will miss the rest if the tournament in Morocco

Star Banyana Banyana striker Thembi Kgatlana will miss the rest of the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco.

She was carried off in a stretcher during South Africa's 1-0 victory against Botswana last night.

According to Kick Off, the 26-year-old Kgatlana stepped awkwardly during the second half, with this injury later confirmed to be a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Team doctor Rodney Mokoka said:

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"Thembi Kgatlana sustained a complete rupture of the left Achilles tendon against Botswana, which was confirmed by the MRI scan this morning. Unfortunately, she will be out for the whole WAFCON 2022 tournament and she is due for an operation back home in South Africa.

According to Mayo Clinic, complete recovery from such an injury can take anything between six and 12 months.

Banyana went into the tournament as outright favourites, and have played like it, too. They accounted for eternal rivals, multiple and defending champions Nigeria 2-1 in their opening Group C encounter last week Monday.

They thoroughly overwhelmed Burundi in the second match last Thursday, though only managed a 3-1 win in a match they should have scored at least double the amount of goals that they did.

Banyana Banyana snatched a late victory over neighbours Botswana in the final group game in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

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As reported by Sports Brief, the two Southern African nations were deadlocked at 0-0 in Rabat before Nthabiseng Ronisha Majiya scored in the 80th minute. Banyana, who had already qualified for the quarter-final stages, rung the changes for the game and it showed.

Banyana would hang on to claim victory and secure the top spot, and will now meet Tunisia in the quarter-final of the tournament.