Grace-Ruth Sery Brace Earns Woman of the Match as Côte d’Ivoire Draw 2-2 with South Africa

CASABLANCA, Morocco — Côte d’Ivoire forward Grace-Ruth Sery scored a first-half brace and was named TotalEnergies Woman of the Match as the Elephants were held to a 2-2 draw by South Africa in their Group B encounter at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Sery struck in the 18th and 36th minutes to give Côte d’Ivoire a commanding half-time lead at the Moulay Rachid Stadium, putting them on course for a second successive win after their opening 4-1 victory over Burkina Faso.

South Africa Fightback

Banyana Banyana, who had lost their opener 2-1 to Tanzania, mounted a determined second-half recovery. Thembi Kgatlana reduced the deficit in the 71st minute, before Hilda Magaia equalised dramatically in the ninth minute of added time to secure a vital point.

Group Picture

The draw leaves Côte d’Ivoire top of Group B on four points, with Burkina Faso and Tanzania both on three points and South Africa on one. The final group matches will decide the two teams that progress to the quarter-finals.

Sery’s clinical finishing and overall contribution earned her the TotalEnergies Woman of the Match award, underlining her importance to Côte d’Ivoire’s title ambitions.