Zimbabwe Win Again At COSAFA
Group C was dubbed the ‘Group of Death’ and lived up to expectations after the results of match day two in the pool at the HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship at Dobsonville Stadium on Monday.
Botswana showed no mercy against Lesotho as they put three goals past them without reply. The Mares, who made no changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Namibia in their opener, showed intention to score early in the first half with Lesego Radiakanyo denied by the defense in the opening three minutes while Obonetse Rathari was struck the woodwork from range a minute later.
It wasn’t long before Botswana won a set-piece which captain Kesegofetse Mochawe sent Lone Gaofetoge’s way and the latter made no mistake as she headed home to give her side the lead in the fifth minute.
Balothanyi Johannes could have made it 2-0 inside the first 15 minutes but her long-range shot went just over the bar. With Botswana enjoying the lion’s share of possession Radiakanyo tried her luck again and this time she was denied by the post. Lesotho got a clear chance at goal right after however only passed to the keeper.
Ten minutes to the break Johannes scored a stunner from a tight angle inside the box and extended Botswana’s lead to 2-0 going into halftime.
In the second half Mohambi Saulos’s side kept searching for another goal but that only came in the last 20 minutes of the encounter. Mochawe scored Botswana’s third goal of the match and her second of the tournament from a similar position as Johannes, to hand her side a deserving victory.
The result eliminated Lesotho from the competition with a match to spare while Botswana remain in second spot on the group log with four points right behind leaders Zimbabwe, who defeated Namibia 2-0 in the second match of the day.
The Mighty Warriors were tested early on in the first half but their goalkeeper Cynthia Shonga pulled back to back super saves to deny the Gladiators an opener.
Veteran winger Rudo Neshamba netted the opener soon after assisted by Christabel Katano. Five minutes to the half hour mark Zimbabwe won a free-kick and Vimbai Mharadzi curled it to force Melissa Matheus to make a save and keep the score-line respectable.
Namibia almost equalised in the opening minutes of the second half through Azania Adams, who shot just over the bar. Before the hour mark Nobukhosi Ncube scored a beauty from a set-piece from range to make it 2-0.
Zimbabwe could have made it 3-0 soon after when Katona found Priviledge Mupeti, who only needed to tap home, however missed the target. Shadreck Mluauzi’s charges are the only side yet to concede at this year’s competition.
Meanwhile it’s crunch time on day seven with the deciding Group B matches opening the day. Zambia and Comoros are at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Soweto campus while Angola face Mozambique in Dobsonville with both fixtures kicking off at 12h00.
Group A deciders will follow at 15h00 between Madagascar and Malawi at the UJ and South Africa and Eswatini in Dobsonville.
Entrance for fans to all matches will be FREE of charge, with tickets available at the stadium on match day.
