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Johannesburg - Banyana Banyana lost 1-0 to Ivory Coast in their CAF African Women's Championship third place playoff at Sam Nujoma Stadium, in Windhoek, Namibia, on Saturday.
With a place in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada up for grabs for the winner, it took an 85th minute goal from Guehai Ida Rebecca, for Ivory Coast, to separate the sides.
Despite a strong first half showing where Banyana dominated proceedings, Ivory Coast came into the match in the second period and produced relentless waves of attack which ultimately paid off with the crucial goal.
In the ninth minute, Amanda Dlamini produced a fierce strike from way out which required a fingertip save from Thiamale Ange Marie Dominique in the Ivory Coast goal.
Sanah Mollo for Banyana was left one-on-one with the goalkeeper but blasted her shot wide in the 18th minute.
In the 22nd minute, Mollo clashed with Dominique for the ball but could only watch as the ball drifted wide yet again.
Dlamini, a minute later, put in a similar challenge with the keeper and the ball looked to be heading for the back of the net but missed by millimetres.
Just before the interval, Janine van Wyk took a dip at goal from a free kick 35 metres out, which required the attention of Dominique who tipped the ball over for a corner.
Ines Tia for Ivory Coast failed to convert the best chance for her team up until that point in the 62nd minute. Tia made a run into the box, and met the cross from a teammate, but without a Banyana defender nearby, her shot was launched way over the target.
With five minutes remaining in regulation time, Rebecca pounced on a loose ball in the Banyana box from a corner, and with time and space picked her spot as she drove the ball home to take a 1-0 lead for Ivory Coast.
