South Africa’s UWC and Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens proceed to semis of CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA qualifier

* Hosts Ascent Soccer are playing this afternoon from 15h00 in Group B against Botswana’s Gaborone United

* While Young Buffaloes of eSwatini face Group B leaders UD Lichinga in a noon kick-off

Maravi Express

University of the Western Cape (UWC) of South Africa defeated Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens 2-1 yesterday but both Group A teams progressed to the semifinals of the CAF Women’s Champions League-COSAFA qualifier.

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Both teams amassed 6 points which put UWC finishing top of the group on head-to-head whereas Herentals Queens descended to second place.

The result effectively eliminated FC Ongos who had earlier handed Green Buffaloes a 2-1 defeat in an early kick-off at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.

Hosts Ascent Soccer are playing this afternoon from 15h00 in Group B against Botswana’s Gaborone United while Young Buffaloes of eSwatini face Group B leaders UD Lichinga in a noon kick-off.

Lichinga have 4 points, Ascent 3 points, Gaborone United 2 points and  Buffaloes one point. The hosts, who were beaten 1-0 by UD de Lichinga of Mozambique on Sunday, need to beat Gaborone United if they are to proceed to the semifinals.

In yesterday’s final game of the day, UWC’s Noxolo Cesane’s 46th-minute goal and Bongeka Gamede strike 14 minutes later sealed the win while Alice Moyo scored a consolation for the Zimbabweans.

The first half had ended goalless before the proceedings came to life in the second half as UWC started the last period in fashion, going ahead barely after a minute when Noxolo Malinga sneaked in a shot into the net after catching Herentals Queens’ defence sleeping in a swift pass-and- support move.

Some 14 minutes later, Gamede added the second goal for the South Africans after she found space at the near-post to place the ball into the net after a corner-kick from the left had caused mayhem in the box.

Moyo pulled one back for the Zimbabweans in spectacular fashion, turning 360 degrees with her left leg then opening her body  to dispatch a terrific strike into the roof of keeper Dlamini’s net.

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In the first encounter of the day, FC Ongos’ two first-half goals handed fancied Green Buffaloes a second consecutive defeat thereby denying the Zambians an automatic semifinals’ slot.

It was a matter of the Namibian side, which Zambian Agnus Elemu coaches, exiting the qualifiers on a high after back-to-back 3-0 and 3-1 losses to UWC and Herentals Queens.

Playing before a few fans at the 6,000-seater stadium, midfielder Beverly Uueziua put the Namibians ahead with a 24th-minute right-foot stunner from the left, before Twelikondjele Amukoto added the second goal in the 39th minute.

Amukondo made the most of a long bouncing ball, which tinkering Buffaloes defenders failed to tame, to sneak a loose ball past exposed goalkeeper Aisha Mbwana.

The first half ended in favour of the Namibians and there was no doubt that a response was expected from the 2022 champions from Zambia.

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That response came in the 63rd minute when substitute Vanessa Chikupila, who is a Malawian, weaved her way on the right then cut inside to net the consolation for the Zambians.

Coach Carol Kanyemba demanded more goals from her charges but Ongos held their nerves to the end of the match to leave the group at the mercy of the second match of the afternoon between UWC and Herentals Queens.

FC Ongos finished bottom of the group with three points at par with Green Buffaloes, who had started the qualifiers with a 1-0 win over UWC only for Herentals Queens to peg them back with a 1-0 defeat.

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Ahead of the first match, coach Kanyemba had dropped striker Chikupila, midfielders Maweta Chilenga, Lubasi Pumula and defender Esther Banda in preference of Agness Phiri, Diana Banda, Mokgabo Thanda and Pauline Zulu.

In the opposite camp, Elemu elected to start with midfielders Elmarie Fredericks and Ivone Kooper at the expense of Julia Blou and Judith Rutjindo. Such changes proved a masterstroke for the Namibians.

The overall winner of the 10-day tournament will book a place at the CAF Women’s Champions League’s continental finals, joining Mamelodi Sundowns who did not participate in the qualifiers as they had already secured their finals’ slot by virtue of being African champions.—Reporting by COSAFA

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