Sundowns crowned CAF GIFT champions

Mamelodi Sundowns were crowned the champions of the second u17 Confederation of African Football (Caf) Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) after beating Lishoeshoe 5-0 from Lesotho in the final on Thursday at the Ngoni Stadium, in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The inaugural edition was won by Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa (JTK) Queens, from Tanzania, who were crowned the champions when the tournament was hosted in the Council for East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa) region in January.

The second edition of the tournament welcomed teams from the Cosafa region, with Mamelodi Sundowns and Refilwe, both from South Africa, and playing in the Gauteng Women’s Development League (GWDL), participating.

However, the spotlight was on Banyana Ba Style, the GWDL champions, who excelled in the GIFT competition from the outset. They finished at the top of Group A with the maximum possible of nine points to secure a place in the final against Lishoeshoe, who won Group B, also with nine points.

In the final match, the mighty ‘Downs‘ demonstrated their prowess by powering their way to a 5-0 victory.

Captain Katlego Malebana opened the scoring just three minutes into the match by converting a penalty. Nsovo Nxumalo then increased the Brazilians‘ advantage.

Busisiwe Mokoena, Lesego Tsatsi, and Roshina Nair contributed the final three goals as the South African champions decisively defeated their neighbours.

Over the course of their four matches, Mamelodi Sundowns fired in 30 goals while allowing only one goal, which showcased both their exceptional offensive capabilities and their superior defensive line.

After the final, Munashe Mugwara, one of the standout players for Sundowns throughout the tournament, was named the Player of the Tournament.

The Goalkeeper of the Tournament accolade was awarded to Mercy Mwale from Zambia’s Aguila Girls, while the Golden Boot honour was shared by Tamandani Chilimba, of Luwinga Academy, and Nancy Lebang, of Okakarara Golden Ladies, both of whom netted eight goals.

The Fair Play award was presented to the silver medallists, Lishoeshoe.

In the bronze medal match, Zimbabwe’s Mpopoma Sports Academy secured third place by defeating Aguila Girls 4-1.

Shantel Gwenhamo struck the Bulawayo team’s first goal. Chiedza Khumalo netted twice to end the tournament with seven goals and Rejoice Chamunorwa added Mpopoma’s fourth.

Beatrice Chipupula scored the lone goal for the Zambian team.

The tournament was goal-laden, with 118 scored in only 16 matches – over seven per game.

The CAF GIFT u17 tournament was launched to enable international competition between top u17 club teams in the region, thereby complementing existing events for national teams.

The CAF has prioritised the advancement of women’s football as a fundamental aspect of its development agenda, with the GIFT tournament offering young players a valuable opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and acquire essential experience.

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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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