Banyana Banyana have failed to defend their Cosafa Women’s Cup crown, after they were edged 3-2 by Malawi at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Thursday.
A new Champions will be crowned when the 2021 COSAFA Women’s Championship ends on October 9 as Malawi and Tanzania book a final spot after defeating South Africa and Zambia respectively in the semi-final.
Twice, Banyana had to fight their way into the game with Malawi taking the lead, but the visitors had the loudest cheer as they scored in the dying minutes of the game to win the match.
Ireen Khumalo floats a fine long ball into the box, captain Chimwemwe Madise nods it to Fazila Chembekezo to head home the opener as the holders backline is caught napping; a stunning solo effort in first-half stoppage time by last season’s topscorer Sibulele Holweni draws the holders level.
In the second half, Sabinah Thom restored Malawi’s lead in the 74tn minute while Sibulele Holweni equalised for the second time in the 80th minute from the penalty spot.
Sabinah Thom’s 86th-minute goal settled the scoreline in favour of Malawi that suffered a 2-1 defeat in the opening game of the competition to South Africa which ensured that the former finished second in Group A.
Underdogs Malawi shock seven-time champions South Africa to avenge their 6-2 defeat at the same stage in Cosafa 2020 and reach their first-ever final; meanwhile, South Africa fail to reach a Cosafa Women’s Championship final for the first time.
In the other semifinal match, Tanzania edged Zambia 3-2 on penalties to qualify for the final of the 2021 COSAFA Women’s Championship.
Lushomo Mweemba nets an own goal in an attempt to clear M.Omary’s shot as Tanzania had the lead on the 17th-minute, Zambia conceded for the first time in this year’s competition. Great pass from the teen Kasonga to the veteran Omary in the buildup.
Zambia captain, Grace Chanda floats a long-range shot from the midfield into the net to draw Copper Queens level in the 69th minute to take the game into penalties shootout, as a 17-year-old Tanzanian goalkeeper conceded for the first time in the COSAFAW2021.
Tanzania eventually won the battle of wills 3-2 on penalties as Margaret Belemu, Lushomo Mweemba, and Lubandji Ochumba missed their spot-kicks for Zambia while Bilali Amina missed for Tanzania.
The two-time CECAFA Champions remain on track for a clean sweep of COSAFA women’s titles –when they face Malawi in the final– as they currently hold the COSAFA U17 & COSAFA U20 titles.
2021 COSAFA Women’s Championship:
October 9
Final
Tanzania vs Malawi
Third Place
Zambia vs South Africa
MOLATsportgist 
Is it the same Bayana Bayana that defeated Super Falcons in Aisha Buhari’s cup in Nigeria that was beaten by Malawi? This is a warning to Nigeria football federation that other African countries are not living any stone unturned concerning the development of women soccer in their respective countries. We should go back to grassroots.
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Go back to drawing board
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