FIFA Women’s World Cup: South Africa stun Italy with stoppage-time winner

At Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington: South Africa 3 (Benedetta Orsi own goal 32’, Hildah Magaia 67’, Thembi Kgatlana 90+2’) Italy 2 (Arianna Caruso pen-11’, 74’) HT: 1-1

Group G points (games played): Sweden 9 (3), South Africa 4 (3), Italy 3 (3), Argentina 1 (3)

South Africa have created history by qualifying for the knockout stages of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time after stunning Italy with a stoppage-time winner.

Captain Thembi Kgatlana was the hero for Bayana Bayana, firing the ball past goalkeeper Francesca Durante in the 92nd minute to complete a dramatic 3-2 comeback win at a wintery Wellington Regional Stadium on Wednesday night.

South Africa had never won a World Cup match and they were minutes away from being eliminated at the group stage for the second consecutive tournament until Hildah Magaia skipped into the penalty area and squared a ball for Kgatlana to guide home, breaking Italy’s hearts.

Italy only needed a point from Wednesday’s final group G match to finish second behind group winners Sweden, who took care of business by beating Argentina 2-0.

It looked like they had done enough to salvage a draw when Arianna Caruso got the final touch from a 74th minute corner and survived a lengthy VAR check for a possible handball to tie the game at 2-2 with her second goal of the game.

Caruso had given Italy a dream start after stepping up and coolly burying an 11th-minute penalty into the bottom corner.

But after giving leads against Sweden and Argentina in their first matches, South Africa refused to lie down with their World Cup hopes on the line.

“Tonight I said we gave everything against Sweden, we gave everything against Argentina, but we’ve got to give more! We’ve got to give more because it’s about how badly we want this, and they wanted this so, so badly,” South Africa coach Desire Ellis said.

A disastrous own goal from Benedetta Orsi gave South Africa a way back into the game when she lost track of her goalkeeper and passed the ball into an empty net in the 32nd minute.

Kgatlana and Magaia combined for South Africa’s second goal in the 67th minute. Kgatlana toyed with the Italian defence on the edge of the penalty area and slipped a pass through for Magaia to score.

After 15 minutes of stoppage time, there were incredible scenes as players from both teams immediately dropped to the ground as the final whistle blew.

It was jubilation for South Africa, who will now meet the Netherlands in the round of 16 in Sydney on Sunday, and heartbreak for Italy, who have been sent packing following a second successive defeat.

Italy coach Milena Bertolini said the team’s confidence had taken a huge hit in the wake of their 5-0 defeat to Sweden in their second match but hailed South Africa as the deserved winners on Wednesday.