Last year’s top scorer Sibulele Holweni scored a brace as South Africa overcame a scare to defeat Mozambique 3-1 and book a place in the semifinals of the 2021 COSAFA Women’s Championship on Monday.
The Group A victory at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium sees the holders and hosts top the pool with seven points, followed by Malawi on six, with the SheFlames very much in the running as the best-placed runner-up.
Malawi’s six points and +2 goal-difference puts them ahead of second-placed Zimbabwe (six points, +1) in Group B, though they must wait to see what happens in tomorrow’s final Group C game between Zambia and Uganda before their semifinal place in confirmed.
Holweni put South Africa ahead midway through the first half, but Mozambique drew level thanks to a header from Cidalia Cuta. South Africa were back in front just a few minutes later as Melinda Kgadiete bundled the ball home from close range. Holweni’s second goal sealed the points for the home side.
Malawi battled to break down Angola in their final pool game but second-half goals from Limbikani Chikupira and Madyina Nguluwe gave them what yet could prove a vital victory.
Earlier, Zimbabwe thought they had kept themselves in the hunt for a place in the semifinals with a 3-0 victory over Botswana that took them to six points in the pool, though it will not be enough.
Zimbabwe opened the scoring through Priviledge Mupeti just before halftime, before captain Emmaculate Msipa doubled the advantage. Rudo Neshamba then scored her second goal of the tournament to complete the win.
In the other match in the pool, Stumai Athuman scored a hat-trick for already qualified Tanzania as they claimed a 3-0 victory over South Sudan. The result made it three wins from three for the Twiga Stars.
After a goalless first half, in which South Sudan showed their rapid improvement in the tournament, Athuman opened the scoring on 52 minutes and then added two more goals in the closing stages of the game.
Zambia and Uganda will face off in a winner-takes-all contest for top spot in Group C on Tuesday. The match kicks off at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at 15h30 CAT.
Zambia currently have six points and Uganda four, so a draw would suit the Copper Queens and see them though, and at the same time qualify Malawi for the semifinals.
But a win for Uganda would leave that runner-up place open, though Zambia would still be in pole position to qualify with their healthy +8 goal-difference at present. They would need to lose by seven goals to fall below Malawi in the best runner-up running.
The other match in the pool at the Madibaz Stadium on Tuesday is a dead rubber between Namibia and Eswatini (kick-off 12h00 CAT).
Neither side can book a semifinal place so will be battling for pride and to end off their campaign on a high.
All matches will be streamed live on www.cosafa.tv and the fixtures at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium also available on SuperSport, with selected games to be shown on SABC.
You can also follow the action at www.cosafa.com, and our official Twitter and Facebook pages.
COSAFA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS STATISTICS
MONDAY’S RESULTS
Group A
South Africa 3 (Holweni 24’, 77’, Kgadiete 66’) Mozambique 1 (Manuel 64’)
Angola 0 Malawi 2 (Chikupira 69′, Nguluwe 81′)
Group B
Botswana 0 Zimbabwe 3 (Mupeti 42′, Msipa 65′, Neshamba 83′)
Tanzania 3 (Athuman 52′, 80′, 90′) South Sudan 0
TUESDAY’S FIXTURES
Group C
15h30 (13h30 GMT) – Zambia vs Uganda – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
15h30 (13h30 GMT) – Namibia vs Eswatini – Madibaz Stadium
STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| South Africa (Q) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| Malawi | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Angola | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 2 |
| Mozambique | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 1 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Tanzania (Q) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 9 |
| Zimbabwe | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| Botswana | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| South Sudan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | -11 | 0 |
| GROUP C | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Zambia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 6 |
| Uganda | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Namibia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 1 |
| Eswatini | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | -9 | 0 |
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 16
Goals scored: 53
Biggest victory: Botswana 7 South Sudan 0 (Group B, September 29)
Most goals in a game: 7 – Botswana 7 South Sudan 0 (Group B, September 29)
GOALSCORERS
3 goals – Stumai Athuman (Tanzania), Ochumba Lubandji (Zambia), Refiloe Tholakele (Botswana)
2 – Margaret Belemu (Zambia), Cidalia Cuta (Mozambique), Sibulele Holweni (South Africa), Melinda Kgadiete (South Africa), Cina Manuel (Mozambique), Donisia Minja (Tanzania), Hasifah Nassuna (Uganda), Rudo Neshamba (Zimbabwe), Mwanahamisi Shurua (Tanzania)
1 – Zeferina Caupe (Angola), Noxolo Cesane (South Africa), Grace Chanda (Zambia), Limbikani Chikupira (Malawi), Balothanyi Johannes (Botswana), Zainab Kapanda (Malawi), Ireen Khumalo (Malawi), Yara Lima (Angola), Aisha Masaka (Tanzania), Masego Montsho (Botswana), Emmaculate Msipa (Zimbabwe), Esther Mukwasa (Zambia), Priviledge Mupeti (Zimbabwe), Wezzie Mvula (Malawi), Riticia Nabbosa (Uganda), Joan Nabirye (Uganda), Sandra Nabweteme (Uganda), Madyina Nguluwe (Malawi), Celiwe Nkambule (Eswatini), Marjory Nyaumwe (Zimbabwe), Chieng Riek (South Sudan), Albertina Pondja (Mozambique), Lesego Radiakanyo (Botswana), Mokgabo Thanda (Botswana), Sabinah Thom (Malawi), Mary Wilombe (Zambia)
L’Afrique du Sud et la Tanzanie en demi-finale
Fort de leur succès, l’Afrique du Sud et la Tanzanie ont assuré leur qualification pour le dernier carré lundi au cours de la 7e journée de la COSAFA Women’s Senior Championship. Pour leur part, le Malawi et le Zimbabwe restent en embuscade.
La Tanzanie n’a rencontré aucune difficulté pour se défaire du Soudan du Sud. Les Tanzaniennes se sont entièrement reposées sur Stumai Athuman, auteur d’un triplé. L’avant-centre a d’abord frappé à la 52eminute puis a doublé la mise à la 80e minute. Elle a clôt son festival sur le gong en profitant des largesses défensives des Soudanaises.
Jusqu’ici, la Tanzanie a réalisé un sans-faute avec trois succès en autant de sorties. Ses représentants s’avancent donc sans crainte en demie. Le Zimbabwe termine avec six unités au compteur et peut encore être repêché. Notons que la Stumai de la Tanzanie et Mupeti du Zimbabwe ont obtenu le titre de joueuse du match pour leur prestation d’ensemble.
L’Afrique du Sud a une nouvelle fois peiné face à un adversaire de moindre calibre. Les Banyana Banyana n’ont pas pu développer leur football comme elles l’espéraient face au Mozambique. Une ouverture du score signée Holweni à la 24e minute avait pourtant bien lancé le pays hôte. Mais Manuel a rétabli la parité à la 64e minute. Il aura fallu un but de Kgadiete (66e) pour assurer les trois points. Le champion en titre sort de son groupe avec sept points.
Avec six points obtenus suite à son succès sur l’Angola, le Malawi n’a plus son destin toutefois. Les Malawites se sont appuyées sur Chikupira (69e) et Nguluwe (81e) pour faire la différence. La capitaine Madyina Nguluwe a de façon assez logique obtenu le titre de joueuses du match. Côté Afrique du Sud, ce trophée est revenu à Mamello Makhabane.
La première phase s’achève aujourd’hui avec les deux dernières rencontres du groupe C. La Zambie affrontera l’Ouganda au NMB Stadium et la Namibie sera aux prises avec l’Eswatini au Madibaz Stadium. Le coup d’envoi sera donné à 15h30.
La Zambie et l’Ouganda joueront donc un match décisif au NMB. Avec six points, les Zambiens partent avec un léger avantage mais les Ougandaises, invitées de la compétition, ne comptent que deux points de retard. Elles peuvent encore se hisser en demi-finale.
Et dans une compétition au couteau, l’erreur ne sera pas permise car seul le premier du groupe est automatiquement reversé dans le dernier carré et sera rejoint par le meilleur deuxième sur l’ensemble des trois groupes. La Namibie, avec un point, peut aussi surprendre en cas de succès. Les Namibiens affrontent l’Eswatini, déjà éliminé du tournoi.
África do Sul vence Moçambique e garante “meias”!
A África do Sul conseguiu finalmente assegurar a sua presença nas meias-finais da IX edição do Campeonato Sénior Feminino do Conselho das Associações de Futebol da África Austral (COSAFA), agendada para esta sexta-feira, dia 7 de Outubro, no Nelson Mandela Stadium, após vencer na terceira e última jornada do Grupo A, a sua congénere de Moçambique por 3-1, enquanto que Angola e Malawi venceu a sua congénere de Angola por 2-0, e ainda assim, terá que aguardar pelos resultados do Grupo C, para ver se avança a fase seguinte como a segunda melhor calcificada de todos os grupos.
Por sua vez , a Tanzania venceu a frágil selecção do Sudão por 3-0, fazendo o pleno no Grupo B.
Contrariamente as anteriores edições, as campeãs em título, África do Sul não tiveram uma passagem tranquila a fase seguinte. A vitória tangencial frente ao Malawi por 2-1, foi o prenúncio do caminho sinuoso que as treinadas de Desiree Ellis teriam de percorrer. Na segunda jornada, as anfitriãs cederam um empate sem golos diante de Angola, era notória a fadiga por parte das sul-africanas, afinal que num passado recente conquistaram a primeira edição do torneio Aisha Buhari na Nigéria.
Já eram previsíveis as naturais e eventuais dificuldades porque Moçambique teria pela frente a avaliar pelo palmarés do seu adversário. As “Mambas Ladies” entraram para este jogo com as contas dificílimas, por um lado, por outro a pensar em usar o jogo de hoje para preparar igualmente o embate contra este mesmo adversário (África do Sul), a contar para as eliminatórias de acesso ao Campeonato Africano das Nações (CAN) de Marrocos-2022, cujo despique terá lugar entre os dias 18 e 29 de Outubro próximo.
Entretanto, para chegar a esta fase, a Tanzania, na qualidade de melhor classificada do Grupo C, já havia garantido a qualificação, após vencer os seus perseguidores directos (Botswana e Zimbabwe), nas duas anteriores jornadas. Para não variar, as tanzanianas levaram de vencida, hoje, Uganda (3-0), sendo a única selecção que conseguiu fazer o pleno nesta prova.
Já o Zimbabwe e Botswana, que a entrada desta jornada partilhavam os mesmos pontos (3), na série B, protagonizaram o jogo electrizante no desfecho da terceira e última jornada da fase de grupos, na acirrada luta pelo segundo melhor lugar da competição. A vitória acabou sorrindo para as zimbabueanas que venceram as “The Mares”, por 2-1, mercê dos golos de Mupeti (42´), Msipa (65´) e Neshamba (83´). Estava feita a desforra por parte do Zimbabwe, afastada nas meias-finais, no ano passado com o golo solitário de SelebatsoGolebaone (73´), do Botswana.
As vice-campeãs (Botswana), beneficiaram das melhores ocasiões para marcar, mas faltou eficácia das artilheiras, mas também fruto da excelente exibição da guarda-redes do Zimbabwe, Lindiwe Magwede, que não permitiu intromissões na sua baliza. Ainda assim, as “Meres” terão que aguardar pelo seu adversário que só será conhecido amanhã, na conclusão dos jogos do Grupo C.
O Torneio vem sendo disputado na cidade portuária de Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth), África do Sul, desde o passado dia 28 de Setembro e, a final está marcada para o dia 9 desde mês.
