South Africa had fourteen attempts in Casablanca and only one of them was on target.
It went in. Thembi Kgatlana scored it in the 21st minute, set up by Fikile Magama.
Burkina Faso had twelve attempts and also found the target once. Between them the two sides managed twenty-six shots and two on target.
A draw would have taken Burkina Faso to their first quarter-final.
They arrived in charge of their own fate, four days after winning the first match in their history at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Nina Dabilgou did not make a single save in ninety minutes. The only shot that reached her between the posts was the goal, and the shot model rated it at 0.33.
South Africa generated 1.62 expected goals and two big chances. Burkina Faso, 0.28 and none.
The second half changed hands without changing the scoreline. Burkina Faso had 55% of the ball, had seven attempts and put their only shot on target among them.
South Africa did not send another ball between the posts after the 21st minute.
They answered with fouls. They committed seventeen after the interval and twenty-six in all, against fourteen by their opponents. They picked up two yellow cards in three minutes: Lebogang Ramalepe in the 60th and Isabella Ludwig in the 63rd.
Burkina Faso were awarded twenty-six free kicks and won one corner in the whole match.
Alimata Bélem played the full ninety at the heart of the Burkina Faso defence. The Eibar centre-back, on loan from the Washington Spirit until December, had made fifteen clearances against Tanzania four days earlier.
Hildah Magaia came off in the 71st. The South Africa forward, who equalised in the 99th minute against Ivory Coast, played for Deportivo ABANCA until her contract expired on 30 June.
Kgatlana was withdrawn in the 83rd with the match still on a single goal.
The group was settled on the other pitch. Ivory Coast beat Tanzania 1-2 and finished top on seven points.
South Africa are second on four. A defeat or a draw would have ended a run of nine consecutive editions among the last four on the continent. Extending it now means winning the quarter-final.
Burkina Faso reached the final matchday of their group ninety minutes away from a quarter-final they have never played.
They ended it with one shot on target.
