South Africa excels in u20 Women’s Cosafa Championship opener

The opening day of the u20 Women’s Cosafa Championship saw an impressive total of 13 goals scored as eye-catching action lit up the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Soweto Campus Stadium on Tuesday.

The tournament favourites, South Africa and Zambia, demonstrated their prowess, with both winning comfortably, to affirm their status as the leading contenders for the trophy.

The hosts, South Africa, opened their account with a 4-0 win over Mozambique in the second match of the opening day.

From the moment the match kicked off, both teams showed positive intent. As South Africa gained confidence, they began to connect passes effectively, and they won most of the duels.

The home side came close to taking an early lead after captain Mmabatho Mogale earned a free-kick just outside the penalty area. Sikelelwa Mhlanga fired off a shot at goal, but it hit the crossbar and Mozambique breathed a sigh of relief. They appeared somewhat disorganised in the early going and also came close to conceding an own goal.

Mozambique was living a charmed life as South Africa dialled up the pressure. Tanna Hollis had a golden opportunity inside the box to put the hosts ahead, but goalkeeper Graca Machengo pulled off a fine save to deny her.

South Africa’s breakthrough came after an exceptional run from the player of the match, Nobahle Mdelwa, who set up Adrielle Mibe for the first of her three goals. Mozambique responded well, showing strong resolve as they sought an equaliser.

Before the break, both teams squandered key opportunities, particularly South Africa, who should have extended their lead.

The home team suffered a setback when Tanna Hollis, who had enjoyed a strong first half, was unable to return to the field after half-time due to an injury. Hollis is a key player in the team, so the local side will hope she heals quickly.

Hollis was replaced by Thato Mofolo, who went on to score the fourth and final goal of the contest, which highlighted the depth and strength of South Africa’s squad.

Their resilience and depth will be tested on Wednesday when they face a formidable Zambian side.

Zambia grabbed the spotlight on the opening day, overwhelming Lesotho 9-0 in a match that they dominated from the first whistle to the last. That final score accurately represented the flow of the game.

The Zambians quickly established their dominance, with Lubasi Pumulo striking twice within the space of a minute.

Before long, Saliya Mwanza, who was later named the player of the match, extended the lead to 3-0.

Further goals were netted by Bwayla Chileshe, who struck twice, Ruth Muwowo, who also scored a brace, and Zangose Zulu and Mary Mbewe.

South Africa and Zambia do battle on Wednesday. An exhilarating and engaging match is expected. Both teams showed strength and composure, with a shared preference for maintaining ball control in their openers. Their showdown is likely to thrill spectators.

Botswana faces Mozambique at midday on Wednesday. The South Africa versus Zambia match follows at 15:00.

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Siya Pongco

A passionate reader and dedicated writer, Siya possesses three degrees from Rhodes University including a Postgraduate Diploma at Rhodes University. He also played amateur cricket and soccer, both during his university years. While honing his journalism skills at Grocott’s Mail in Makhanda, he developed a profound interest in the community’s response to crime. Additionally, he covered topics such as art/culture and student politics at Rhodes University in 2022. In his spare time, Siya can be found exploring galleries, dining at restaurants, indulging in literature, taking photographs or savouring his favourite dish, spaghetti.

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