The semifinal lineup at the CAF Women’s Champions League | Cosafa Qualifiers is complete after the final matches were played in Groups B and C at the AW Muller Stadium in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Two-time winners Mamelodi Sundowns took top spot in Group A on Tuesday and will face Zesco Ndola Girls from Zambia in the second semifinal on Friday at 15h00 CAT (13h00 GMT), while Group B winners Gaborone United Ladies FC from Botswana face the top team in Group C, Costa do Sol from Mozambique at 12h00 CAT (10h00 GMT).
Gaborone United were beaten finalists last year and will be desperate to go one better this year, while Costa do Sol were semifinalists in 2023. Zesco Ndola Girls are on debut this year.
Gaborone United recorded the biggest victory in the history of the CAF Women’s Champions League | Cosafa Qualifiers with a stunning 10-1 demolition of Lesotho’s Kick4Life to complete Group B.
The Botswana side were relentless from the opening whistle, racing into an early lead through Maungo Maponga inside the first minute. Maponga went on to score four times, netting again in the 6th, 29th and 56th minutes.
Her teammate Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse was equally unstoppable, hitting the back of the net four times herself in the 14th, 17th, 35th and 45th minutes before completing her tally in the 69th.
Her five goals have seen her skyrocket to the lead of the Golden Boot race in this year’s competition, one more than Maponga.
Desiree Kenyaditswe added the tenth goal in the 73rd minute to underline the one-sided nature of the contest.
Kick4Life grabbed a late consolation through Lerato Tsoinyane in the 88th minute, but it did little to take the shine off Gaborone United’s record-breaking performance.
Herentals Queens defeated Olympic de Moroni 4-2 to finish second in Group C, but it was not enough for a place in the semifinals.
Queens had already had a goal disallowed when substitute Morelife Nyagumbo opened the scoring with a good finish inside the box in the 43rd minute.
Olympic de Moroni drew level in first half injury-time as Suraya Ali produced a brilliant chip from 35 yards to beat Queens goalkeeper Lindiwe Magwede, who had strayed off her line.
The Comoros side were ahead just two minutes into the second period when Solomampionona Mamonjy hooked the ball into the net from 12 yards and suddenly the semifinal dream was alive.
Nyagumbo equalised for Queens when she headed in a corner to leave both sides in search of a winner. It came for Queens with a minute remaining in the game as Polite Mabika had the simple task of putting the ball into the empty net, before Nyagumbo managed a hat-trick to make the final score 4-2, enough for second in the pool, but not a place in the semifinals. – cosafa.com
