Zimbabwe will face South Africa in the finals of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Women’s championships after exhibiting an improved all round performance to beat Kenya in a Semi-final match on Thursday.
The Mighty Warriors qualified for the semi-finals as overall best losers, coming second in group A behind Zambia, having failed secure two wins in the group which also comprised Malawi and Madagascar.
Zimbabwe therefore had to depend on favourable results from the other two groups where Lesotho and Kenya beat Namibia and Swaziland, respectively, to deny them three points which would have seen either of the two countries pip Zimbabwe to the only qualifying spot as best group runners up.
Despite gifting Zimbabwe a semi-final berth, Kenya were run over by the Mighty Warriors who scored four unanswered goals.
Ten minutes into the game, Rutendo Makore showed composure and skill in the penalty area, dribbling past two defenders and placing a well-timed shot past Kenyan goalkeeper - Poline Owino.
Berita Kabwe doubled the defending champions’ lead in the 44th minute which ensured the tournament hosts went into the break leading 2- 0.
Six minutes into the second half, Marjory Nyaumwe added another goal to give Zimbabwe a comfortable 3-0 cushion which allowed them to sit back and wait for fortuitous Kenyan lapses on the field of play.
Indeed, in the 87th minute, the East African ladies failed to close down Priviledge Mupeti who powered the ball past Owino to ensure Zimbabwe progressed to the final with a convincing 4-0 win and face South Africa’s Banyana Banyana who recovered from a three goal deficit to beat Shepolopolo of Zambia on penalties, in the first semi-final match, on Thursday.
Shepolopolo took control of the game in 20 minutes when Crestinah Kgatlana scored past Roxanne Baxter, in the South African goal.
Zambia went on to dictate the first half of the match and the teams resilience was rewarded on the stroke of half time, Grace Chanda scoring to give Shepolopolo a 2-0 lead at the break.
The Zambian onslaught on Banyana Banyana continued in the second half, resulting in their third goal from Misozi Zulu in the 78th minute.
However, South Africa’s introduction of Nompulelo Nyandeni for Chantelle Esau in the 65th minute was causing anxious moments for Zambia who were now struggling to contain a mobile Banyana Banyana midfield.
Leandra Smeda capitalised on an increasingly jittery Zambian defence, scoring three goals in ten minutes in the 75th, 78th (pen) and 83rd minute, to level scores and set up a penalty shootout game decider.
Banyana Banyana Scored all their five spot kicks while Zambia missed one , thus, succumbing to a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the three time tournament winners.
Results in both matches moulded a battle of the Limpopo duel in the final where, defending champions, Zimbabwe will seek to retain their title against a team they dethroned in 2011. The match will be played on Sunday 24 September at Barbourfields stadium.
Zambia and Kenya will have a chance to redeem lost pride on Saturday 23 September in a third and fourth play-off at the same venue.
