EN, FR, PR: Zambia, Zimbabwe join South Africa in semi-finals in Polokwane
Zambia came from a goal down to defeat Eswatini 2-1 in their final Group B match at Seshego Stadium on Tuesday to stay on course to defend their HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship title.
They join hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, whose place is confirmed as the best runner-up, in the semi-final line-up after the Mighty Warriors defeated Botswana 1-0 in the other Group B clash played at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
South Africa will face Zimbabwe in the semi-finals, with Zambia to meet the winner of Group C, which will be determined on Wednesday.
Zambia coach Charles Haalubono made wholesale changes to the side that drew with Zimbabwe, with only Glory Chilenga retaining her place in the starting line-up.
But it was Eswatini who struck first, as Nonjabuliso Mokgale scored her second goal of the tournament inside the opening 20 minutes, capitalising on the goalkeeper being out of position and slipping the ball under her body.
The Copper Queens were forced to dig deep, and their response came from a set-piece. Mercy Chipasula delivered from the corner and captain on the day Agnes Musesa rose to head home the equaliser.
Zambia then completed the turnaround early in the second half as Avell Chitundu struck inside the opening five minutes of the restart.
Meanwhile, Rutendo Makore netted in the final 20 minutes for Zimbabwe to secure victory and progression to the knockout phase, helping her side finish second in the group behind Zambia, with both teams ending on seven points.
In the calculation for the best runners-up, the matches against the bottom side in Groups A and B are removed, which leaves Zimbabwe with four point on the mini-table and Malawi with three. No team can finish second in Group C with more than three points, so it means Zimbabwe have booked their spot in the last-4.
Already-qualified South Africa had to come from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Lesotho in their final Group A match at Seshego Stadium, but still topped the pool with seven points.
In the other Group A decider at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, Malawi defeated Angola 1-0, though the win was not enough for the Scorchers to progress from the group.
Madagascar will need just a draw against Mozambique in Group C on Wednesday at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium (kick-off 15h00 / 13h00 GMT) to progress, but a win for the latter and all three sides will be on three points.
A 1-0 win for Mozambique would in fact see current second-placed side Namibia advance, so everybody in the pool still has a keen interest on the outcome.
Entrance for fans to all matches will be FREE of charge. Tickets are distributed on a first come, first served basis. You can view all of the fixtures here.
If you cannot get to the stadium, you can watch all matches streamed LIVE on FIFA+ and COSAFA’s YouTube channel,
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
Group B – Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Zimbabwe 1 (Makore 70’) Botswana 0
Group B – Seshego Stadium
Zambia 2 (Musese 23’, Chitundu 52’) Eswatini 1 (Mokgale 14’)
Group A – Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Angola 0 Malawi 1 (Khumalo 79’)
Group A – Seshego Stadium
South Africa 1 (Mphelo 38’) Lesotho 1 (Moalosi 30’)
WEDNESDAY’S FIXTURE
Group C – Old Peter Mokaba Stadium
Madagascar vs Mozambique (KO 15h00; 13h00 GMT)
GROUP STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| South Africa (Q) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Malawi | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Angola | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
| Lesotho | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 1 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Zambia (Q) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Zimbabwe (Q) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| Eswatini | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 1 |
| Botswana | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 1 |
| GROUP C | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Madagascar | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3* |
| Namibia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3* |
| Mozambique | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
* Madagascar lead on head-to-head rule
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 14
Goals scored: 34
Biggest victory: Malawi 8 Lesotho 1 (Group A, February 21)
Most goals in a game: 9 – Malawi 8 Lesotho 1 (Group A, February 21)
GOALSCORERS
3 goals – Deborah Henry (Malawi), Ireen Khumalo (Malawi), Makhotso Moalosi (Lesotho)
2 – Rutendo Makore (Zimbabwe), Nonjabuliso Mokgale (Eswatini)
1 – Leena Alweendo (Namibia), Susan Banda (Zambia), Regina Chanda (Zambia), Vanessa Chikupila (Malawi), Avell Chitundu (Zambia), Millicent Hikuam (Namibia), Sibulele Holweni (South Africa), Arminda Lopes (Angola), Cristina Makua (Angola), Nolofatso Mamela (Botswana), Vitumbiko Mkandawire (Malawi), Bonolo Mokoma (South Africa), Thorisho Mphelo (South Africa), Nonhlanhla Mthandi (South Africa), Kabange Mupopo (Zambia), Agness Musesa (Zambia), Olivia Phikani (Malawi), Aimee Razanampiavy (Madagascar), Gabriela Salgado (South Africa), Maria Viera (Angola), Praynance Zvawanda (Zimbabwe)
L’Afrique du Sud en demie
La phase de groupes a rendu son verdict pour les poules A et B au terme d’une 7e journée riche en émotions. Dans le Groupe A, l’Afrique du Sud a validé sa qualification pour le dernier carré. Pourtant, les Banyana Banyana ont été bousculées par le Lesotho, concédant le nul (1-1) après l’ouverture du score de Moalosi (30’).
Mphelo a égalisé peu avant la pause (38’), suffisant pour assurer la première place avec 7 points. Dans l’autre match, le Malawi a dominé l’Angola (1-0) grâce à l’inévitable Khumalo (79’), qui rejoint sa compatriote Deborah en tête du classement des buteuses avec 3 réalisations.
Le Groupe B a offert un scénario similaire. La Zambie s’est emparée de la pole position après sa victoire serrée (2-1) contre l’Eswatini. Malgré l’ouverture du score précoce de Mokgale pour l’Eswatini (14’), les Zambiennes ont réagi par Musesa (23’) et Chitundu (52’). Parallèlement, le Zimbabwe a fait le travail contre le Botswana (1-0) grâce à un but de Makore (70’). Bien qu’à égalité de points (7) avec la Zambie, le Zimbabwe termine deuxième à la différence de buts (+3 contre +4).
À ce stade, 14 matchs ont été disputés pour un total de 34 buts inscrits. La Zambie détient le record du plus large succès (3-0 contre le Botswana le 19 février), tandis que le duel Angola-Lesotho (3-1) reste le plus prolifique avec 4 buts.
Ce mercredi 25 février, les regards se tournent vers l’Old Peter Mokaba Stadium pour l’épilogue du Groupe C. À 15h, le Mozambique défie Madagascar dans un match couperet. Actuellement en tête avec 3 points après son unique match, Madagascar est en position de force. Une victoire ou un nul qualifierait les Malgaches. En revanche, le Mozambique, dernier avec 0 point, doit impérativement s’imposer par au moins deux buts d’écart pour espérer ravir la qualification à la Namibie et Madagascar dans ce groupe à trois extrêmement serré.
Zâmbia e Zimbabwe nas meias-finais da COSAFA!
A 13.ª edição do HOLLYWOODBETS Campeonato Feminino COSAFA 2025, que decorre em Polokwane, África do Sul, já conhece dois dos seus semifinalistas. Zâmbia e Zimbabwe confirmaram, esta terça-feira, a presença na fase eliminar, após vencerem, respectivamente, Eswatini por 2-1 e Botswana por 1-0, na terceira e última jornada do Grupo B.
No Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, o Zimbabwe impôs-se ao Botswana por margem mínima, graças a um golo de Makore, aos 70 minutos, num encontro equilibrado e resolvido pela maior eficácia das zimbabueanas no segundo tempo. Já no Seshego Stadium, a campeã em título Zâmbia mostrou capacidade de reacção diante do Eswatini. Depois de sofrer primeiro, por intermédio de Mokgale (15’), as “Copper Queens” deram a volta ao marcador com tentos de Musesa (22’) e Chitundu (52’), garantindo três pontos decisivos e a confirmação do apuramento.
Com estes resultados, Zâmbia e Zimbabwe terminaram o Grupo B no topo, assegurando as duas vagas da série na fase seguinte. No Grupo A, a anfitriã África do Sul já havia carimbado o passaporte para as meias-finais ao somar seis pontos em dois jogos, fruto do triunfo por 2-0 sobre Angola e beneficiando ainda do expressivo Malawi 8-1 Lesotho. Malawi e Angola, ambas com três pontos, ficaram afastadas da luta pelo primeiro lugar, dependendo apenas da eventual corrida ao estatuto de melhor segunda classificada, que acabou por não se concretizar.
Assim, as meias-finais já têm um cruzamento definido: a África do Sul irá defrontar o Zimbabwe, este sábado, 27 de Fevereiro, às 15h00, no New Peter Mokaba Stadium. A outra meia-final colocará frente-a-frente a Zâmbia e o vencedor do Grupo C, cuja decisão acontece esta quarta-feira.
É precisamente no Grupo C que residem ainda todas as incertezas. Namíbia e Madagáscar somam três pontos cada, depois de vitórias por 2-0 e 1-0, respectivamente, enquanto Moçambique segue sem pontuar, após a derrota por 2-0 diante das namibianas na estreia. O embate entre Moçambique e Madagáscar, marcado para as 15h00 no Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, assume, por isso, carácter decisivo.
De acordo com o regulamento da prova, apenas os vencedores dos grupos e o melhor segundo classificado entre as três séries avançam para as meias-finais. Num grupo composto por apenas três equipas, cada jogo pesa de forma determinante. Moçambique está obrigado a vencer para continuar na competição. Um empate ou derrota significará eliminação imediata.
Em caso de triunfo pela margem mínima, as três selecções poderão terminar com três pontos, remetendo a decisão para a diferença de golos, critério em que a selecção nacional parte em desvantagem. Já uma vitória por dois ou mais golos poderá colocar as treinadas de Luís Fumo na liderança da série e garantir o apuramento directo.
Com as contas praticamente fechadas nos Grupos A e B, todas as atenções concentram-se agora no derradeiro duelo do Grupo C.