adminDEFENDING champions South Africa booked a place in the Cosafa Women’s Championships final when they massacred Malawi in yesterday’s semi-finals at Rufaro.
Malawi finished with 10 players after Sungeni Msiska was sent off for an early shower in the 44th minute by referee Bolokonang Lekgowe for a dangerous tackle on Gabisile Hlumbane.
Banyana Banyana found their goals through Nothando Vilakazi in the (21st minute), team captain Amanda Dhlamini who scored a brace in the (23rd minute) and (62nd minute), Yola Jafta (88th minute) and Noko Matlou (90th minute).
Malawi were the first to score 17 minutes into the game when Thabita Chawinga received a pass from Sungeni Msiska inside the box and fired it home.
Malawi did not live to enjoy their advantage as Banyana Banyana equalised four minutes later after a poor offside trap that saw Mala-wi’s defenders leaving Vilakazi unmarked just outside the box.
South Africa went into the breather leading 2-1 before sealing their victory in the second half.
Banyana Banyana’s Dhlamini scored her second goal in the 62nd minute when she volleyed a powerful shot from close range when she was left unmarked inside the box.
Jafta made it four for South Africa two minutes before regulation time.
Their fifth goal came in the 90th minute when Matlou converted a penalty after Moodlay was brought down by Malawi’s goalkeeper, Alice Msiska.
South Africa’s coach Joseph Mkhonza was pleased with his teams’ qualification and said they were on a mission to defend the title.
“We started very slowly but it is not about how you start but how you end is what matters most.
“We are here on a mission to retain the trophy,” said Mkhonza.
His counterpart Richard Chipungu said the red card shown to his player had an effect on the whole team as he had to make some changes after the dismissal of Msiska.
“We started well only that the red card our player got affected us because I had to drop one of the strikers and leave just one because of that.
“I can say that we are peaking, when we got into Cosafa no one thought that Malawi would go into the semi-finals.
“When we played Zimbabwe we lost but we didn’t give up and the combination was coming up,” said Chipungu.
Teams
South Africa: A. Dhlamini (T. Mndaweni 45th minute), S. Masina (M. Ntsweng 79th minute), Y. Jafta, J. Wyk, G. Hlumbane, A. Sister, A. Dhlamini, N. Vilakazi, Z. Sukazi, N. Matlou, N. Ntsibande (R. Moodlay 67th minute).
Malawi: A. Msiska, T. Kasiya, C. Banda, T. Bokosi, B. Mkuzilile, L. Chipili, S. Msiska, L. Kasenda, T. Chawinga, P. Sinjani, M. Chombo (R. Phiri 66th minute).
Online Reporter