Zambia top the pool on seven points, ahead of Botswana only on goal-difference, with the Mares advancing as the best-placed runner-up. It means the pair will meet again in the semifinals on Thursday.
Hosts South Africa will take on Zimbabwe in the other Last 4 clash. The unlucky team to miss out are Malawi, who would have watched from their hotel as Zambia missed a host of gilt-edged chances to gain the win. Had there been a winner in the fixture then the She-Flames would have advanced.
The best chance fell to Zambian forward Rachel Nachula, who had a penalty to put her side in front with 15 minutes to go but put the effort three metres wide of the goal in a massive miss. Nachula’s dismal effort meant she spurned the chance to move to nine goals in the tournament and take the outright leadership of the scorers’ race.
In the other match in the pool, Namibia thumped Mauritius 8-0 to end their tournament on a high.
Skipper Zenatha Coleman scored four goals as she led from the front, while there were also goals for Beverly Uueziua, Anna Shikusho and Lorraine Jossob.
The first semifinal on Thursday will see Zambia and Botswana resume their battle at the Wolfson Stadium (12h30 kick-off; 10h30 GMT). It is a first ever semifinal appearance for the Mares, who will have to be vastly improved if they are to trouble a Zambia side who looked limp in their final pool match.
The second semi pits heavyweights South Africa against Zimbabwe (15h30; 13h30 GMT) against one-another, the only two nations to have ever lifted this trophy. It is sure to be a titanic clash between arguably the best two teams in the competition.
Meanwhile, in the inaugural 2019 COSAFA Women’s Championship, Zambia sealed top spot in Group B to set up a semifinal with Zimbabwe on Thursday. Hosts South Africa will face East African guest nation Tanzania in the Last 4.
Zambia claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tanzania to take the win, as goals from Florence Kasonde and Christine Kalange put them 2-0 up. Enekia Kasonga Lunyamila scored a third goal of the competition for Tanzania late on to set up a grandstand finish, but could not force home an equaliser that would have seen them seal top-spot.
Botswana cruised to a 3-0 win over Eswatini in the other fixture in the pool to earn their first points of the championship. Thuto Radipitse, Getrude Seambala and Leungo Senwelo scored the goals for the Young Mares as they ended their tournament on a high.
Both semifinal matches will be played on Thursday at the Gelvandale Stadium, with Zambia versus Zimbabwe to kick-off at 10am (8am GMT) and South Africa meeting Tanzania at 2pm (12pm GMT).
Cosafa Women’s Championship stats
Monday’s results
Zambia 0 Botswana 0
Namibia 8 (Coleman 3′, 48′, 74’, 75’, Uueziua 24′, Shikusho 30′, Jossob 45′, Tuyakula Mulunga 88′) Mauritius 0
Thursday’s fixtures
Both Wolfson Stadium
12.30pm (10.30am GMT) – Zambia vs Botswana
3.30pm (1.30pm GMT) – South Africa vs Zimbabwe
Standings
GROUP A P W D L GF GA PTS
South Africa (Q) 3 3 0 0 23 1 9
Malawi 3 2 0 1 16 3 6
Madagascar 3 1 0 2 5 6 3
Comoros Islands 3 0 0 3 1 35 0
GROUP B P W D L GF GA PTS
Zambia (Q) 3 2 1 0 18 2 7
Botswana (Q) 3 2 1 0 4 0 7
Namibia 3 1 0 2 10 4 3
Mauritius 3 0 0 3 0 26 0
GROUP C P W D L GF GA PTS
Zimbabwe (Q) 3 3 0 0 15 1 9
Eswatini 3 2 0 1 7 8 6
Angola 3 1 0 2 4 9 3
Mozambique 3 0 0 3 2 10 0
Tournament stats
Matches played: 18
Goals scored: 105
Biggest victory: South Africa 17 Comoros Islands 0 (Group A, July 31)
Most goals in a game: 17 – South Africa 17 Comoros Islands 0 (Group A, July 31)
Goalscorers
8 goals – Linda Kasenda (Malawi), Rachel Nachula (Zambia)
6 – Emmaculate Msipa (Zimbabwe)
5 – Zenatha Coleman (Namibia), Refiloe Jane (South Africa), Rudo Neshamba (Zimbabwe)
4 – Amanda Mthandi (South Africa)
3 – Asimenye Simwaka (Malawi)
2 – Grace Chanda (Zambia), Mavis Chirandu (Zimbabwe), Ode Fulutudilu (South Africa), Zainabu Kapanda (Malawi), Arminda Lopes (Angola), Hilda Magaia (South Africa), Laurinda Maonte (Angola), Bambanani Mbane (South Africa), Tenanile Mgcamphalala (Eswatini), Hellen Mubanga (Zambia), Mary Mwakapila (Zambia), Marjoury Nyaumwe (Zimbabwe), Marie Rasoanandrasana (Madagascar), Nomvula Sanga (Eswatini), Sabinah Thom (Malawi)
1 – Michelle Abueng (Botswana), Kholosa Biyana (South Africa), Noxolo Cesane (South Africa), Hellen Chanda (Zambia), Theresa Chewe (Zambia), Rhoda Chileshe (Zambia), Violeta David (Mozambique), Keitumetse Dithebe (Botswana), Phumzile Dlamini (Eswatini), Esalenna Galekhutle (Botswana), Sibonelo Gwebu (Eswatini), Lorraine Jossob (Namibia), Annouscka Kordom (Namibia), Lucia (Mozambique), Tiisetso Makhubela (South Africa), Mamello Makhabane (South Africa), Cristina Makua (Angola), Wafat Mari (Comoros Islands), Tshegofatso Mosotho (Botswana), Lovisa Tuyakula Mulunga (Namibia), Busiswe Ndimeni (South Africa), Hanitriniana Nivonirina (Madagascar), Lebogang Ramalepe (South Africa), Aimée Razanampiavy (Madagascar), Solomampionona Razananivo (Madagascar), Anna Shikusho (Namibia), Nonhle Simelane (Eswatini), Beverly Uueziua (Namibia), Salome Vinkhumbu (Malawi)
Own goals – Marie Jerome (Mauritius), Hanifa Melanie (Comoros Islands), Lalaina Razafimanantsoa (Madagascar)
Cosafa Women’s Under-20 Championship stats
Tuesday’s results
Botswana 3 (Radipitse 35’, Seambala 46’, Senwelo 80’) Eswatini 0
Zambia 2 (Kasonde 4’, Kalange 61’) Tanzania 1 (Kasonga Lunyamila 84’)
Thursday’s fixtures
Both Gelvandale Stadium
10am (8am GMT) – Zambia vs Zimbabwe
2pm (12pm GMT) – South Africa vs Tanzania
Final standings
GROUP A P W D L GF GA PTS
South Africa (Q) 3 3 0 0 7 1 9
Zimbabwe (Q) 3 2 0 1 8 3 6
Namibia 3 1 0 2 2 6 3
Mozambique 3 0 0 3 2 9 0
GROUP B P W D L GF GA PTS
Zambia (Q) 3 3 0 0 10 2 9
Tanzania (Q) 3 2 0 1 11 2 6
Botswana 3 1 0 2 4 6 3
Eswatini 3 0 0 3 0 15 0
Tournament stats
Matches played: 12
Goals scored: 44
Biggest victory: Tanzania 8 Eswatini 0 (Group B, August 4)
Most goals in a game: 8 – Tanzania 8 Eswatini 0 (Group B, August 4)
Goalscorers
4 goals – Maylan Mulenga (Zambia)
3 – Dinah Banda (Zimbabwe), Shakeerah Jacobs (South Africa), Enekia Kasonga Lunyamila (Tanzania), Aisha Masaka (Tanzania)
2 – Talent Bizeki (Zimbabwe), Mary Mambwe (Zambia)
1 – Veronica April (Namibia), Ember Edwards (South Africa), Theo George (Botswana), Ester Gindulya (Tanzania), Indira Jacobs (Namibia), Tyla-Bree Joss (South Africa), Christine Kalange (Zambia), Florence Kasonde (Zambia), Irene Kisisa (Tanzania), Dulce Lopes (Mozambique), Leia Lunguile (Mozambique), Oratile Mokwena (South Africa), Rennie Mudimu (Zimbabwe), Thandiwe Ndhlovu (Zambia), Thuto Radipitse (Botswana), Shamimu Salum (Tanzania), Opa Sanga (Tanzania), Getrude Seambala (Botswana), Leungo Senwelo (Botswana), Cynthia Shonga (Zimbabwe), Zethembiso Vilakazi (South Africa), Praynence Zvawanda (Zimbabwe)
Own goals – Ncedo Gamedze (Eswatini), Thuto Radipitse (Botswana)
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
