Lesotho and Zambia have booked their place in Sunday’s final of the 2023 Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup after coming through tense semifinal matches at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban on Friday.
Lesotho beat Malawi 3-0 on penalties after the teams played to a 1-1 draw, while defending champions Zambia knocked out hosts South Africa with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory.
They now chase a record seventh Cosafa Cup title, while Lesotho make their second final and first since 2000, when they lost to Zimbabwe.
Cosafa has confirmed the prize money for the tournament with the winners to take home R500,000 and second place R250,000. The team that finished third will receive R150,000 and furth gets R100,000.
There will also be individual player awards worth R20,000 each for Player of the Tournament, Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Top Goalscorer.
South Africa striker Tshegofatso Mabasa had not scored a goal for club or country since September before he bagged a brace in the final group game against Eswatini.
He followed that up with another goal against the Zambians, reacting quickest to the loose ball in the box after Chipolopolo goalkeeper Francis Mwansa could only parry a shot.
Mabasa rifled the rebound into the back of the net to move to the joint top of the scorers’ charts in the competition with three.
But Bafana Bafana conceded an equaliser five minutes after halftime and it was a really poor goal to concede.
They allowed the ball to bounce around in their box as they failed to clear from a long throw and Golden Mashata was able to hook a shot into the net from close range.
The winning goal was worthy of claiming any tie as Albert Kangwanda placed a 30-yard free-kick into the top corner of the South African net, giving goalkeeper Olwethu Mzimela no chance.
He too has three goals in the competition and is joint top of the scorers charts having had an outstanding campaign to date.
Ten-man Lesotho had to weather a Malawi storm as they played for 45 minutes a man down when Motlomelo Mkwanazi was sent off for a second bookable offence just before halftime.
By that time both teams had scored. Jane Thaba-Ntso put Lesotho ahead with his sixth Cosafa Cup career goal as he tapped home at the back post after a brilliant take and cross from Neo Mokhachane, who is having a stand-out tournament.
Malawi levelled from the penalty-spot as Mkwanazi handled the ball in the box to earn his first yellow card and Chawanangwa Kaonga equalised from 12 yards.
Lesotho goalkeeper Sekhoane Moerane proved the hero of the shoot-out as he made three saves and the more fancied Malawi will have to settle for a shot at the bronze medal.
Fans are reminded that the third-place play-off between Malawi and South Africa, which kicks off at 15h00 on Sunday, will have free entrance with limited tickets on a first come, first served basis.
The same is true for the final between Lesotho and Zambia that will start at 18h00 CAT. – Cosafa.com
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