Matchday 1 of the Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship 2025 provided rich entertainment in Polokwane on Wednesday with two Group A fixtures, as Angola beat Lesotho 3-1 and hosts South Africa edged Malawi 2-0 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
It is the start of 11-team tournament that will culminate with the final on March 1, as the leading teams in the Southern African region battle for supremacy and aim to dethrone current champions Zambia.
There was certainly plenty of action on the opening day in front of an enthusiastic crowd in Polokwane, who were delighted with the home side’s win.
Angola set the early marker in the pool in the opening game, but Lesotho will feel they missed a chance to make the most of a bright opening. The team from the Mountain Kingdom wasted several goal-scoring opportunities in the first half and were punished as Angola struck twice before the break.
Captain Arminda Lopes provided the assist for Christina Makua’s opener, before Maria Viera doubled the advantage just before half-time.
Angola maintained their control after the restart and made the points safe when Lopes added a third, a performance that also earned her the Player of the Match award. Lesotho did at least get on the scoresheet, with Makhotso Moalosi grabbing a late consolation.
In the second match of the day, South Africa and Malawi played out a tight contest that offered few clear-cut chances, with both Wafcon-bound sides fielding relatively young and unfamiliar line-ups. The first half ended goalless, but Banyana Banyana found a way through after the break. Captain Sibulele Holweni was on hand to tap home after Sinegugu Zondi’s dead-ball delivery caused problems in the Malawi area.
South Africa added a late second through Bonolo Mokoma as she scored from close range with a net side-footed effort, sealing a 2-0 win for the hosts.
The results leave Angola top of Group A on goals scored level on three points with South Africa.
Attention now shifts to Group B on Thursday, with Eswatini and Zimbabwe opening the day’s programme at 12h00 CAT (10h00 GMT), before defending champions
Zambia meet Botswana at 15h00 CAT (13h00 GMT), both at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
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