Zimbabwe complete semifinal lineup

Zimbabwe have completed the semifinal line-up at the 2023 Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship in Gauteng following a 1-1 draw with Botswana in the Group C decider on Wednesday.

They join Malawi, who topped Group A with nine points, Zambia and Mozambique, who finished in first and second places with seven points respectively from Group B. Zambia and Zimbabwe will clash in a titanic battle in the first semifinal on Friday at 12h00, before Malawi and Mozambique go head-to-head at 15h30.

Both games will be played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville and the much anticipated Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will be used for the first time at a Cosafa tournament at this stage.

Botswana survived an early injury scare against Zimbabwe as goalkeeper Lesego Moeng needed medical attention in the first minute. Three minutes later Zimbabwe won a corner-kick, and it was Priviledge Mupeti who found Ennety Chemhere, who headed home the opener in the opening five minutes to give her side the lead.

Botswana won a free kick after 25 minutes later and captain Kesegofetse Mochawe delivered it and forced Cynthia Shonga to punch away to deny them the equaliser.

Moments later Lesego Radiakanyo found Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse in the box and she missed the target. Chemere could have extended the lead three minutes after the half hour mark from range but her shot hit the cross bar. Zimbabwe took the narrow lead into half time.

Botswana upped their tempo in the second stanza Balothanyi Johannes could have grabbed the equaliser early on but it wasn’t to be as she couldn’t find the target, The Mares piled pressure and they won a set-piece from range and the skipper Mocahwe was unlucky not to score.

Mupeti had a chance to give her side a cushion goal from a free kick outside the box after the hour mark but she was denied by the woodwork. Botswana didn’t give up and eventually levelled with five minutes to the final whistle through Johannes who scored her second goal of the tournament.

This is Zimbabwe‘s first international tournament since the country’s suspension was lifted by FIFA. They finished top of the Group with seven points, and they are the side with the best defensive record in the group stage having conceded one goal.

Botswana return to Gaborone as runners-up in the pool with five points, followed Namibia on four points after they won 2-0 against Lesotho in the dead rubber played at the University of Johannesburg Soweto campus.

Emma Naris scored in the first half while Irene Kooper grabbed the winner in that encounter as last year’s semifinalists also bowed out of the competition. – Cosafa.com