Banyana skin Zebras

DEFENDING champions and favourites South Africa sealed a place in the semi finals of the Cosafa Women’s Championships when they hammered Botswana in a Group B soccer encounter at Gwanzura yesterday.
Banyana Banyana, who won 4-1 in their opening match against Zambia on Saturday, lead the group with six points.
Their last group match against Tanzania tomorrow will decide who finishes on top of the group and will meet the team which finishes second in Group A.
The East African guests Tanzania had also booked a place in the semis with a 2-0 victory against Zambia earlier in the day at Gwanzura yesterday.
Zambia and Botswana are now both out of the tournament and would be playing for pride when they meet in their last group match tomorrow.
South Africa’s goals came from captain Amanda Dlamini (16th minute), Noku Matlou (52nd minute), Mamello Makhabane (70th minute) and substitute Zanele Sukazi (88th minute).
Banyana Banyana, who finished the match with 10 players after midfielder Yola Jafta was red-carded by Zimbabwean referee Pamela Chiwaya for tackling Botswana Thuto Ramafifi, convinced the few neutral fans who were at Gwanzura yesterday that they are in a class of their own. Although the Tswanas tried to contain their opponents, they could not match the South Africans and after the game, Botswana technical advisor Patrick Kowa was full of praise for their opponents.
“South Africa are technically superior and very comfortable on the ball. I think they are the best team in the region and that’s why they are in contention for a place at the Olympics (London 2012).
“We wish them all the best in their bid to qualify for the Olympics and I think they will lift the Cosafa title.
“We came here hoping to get some positive results. And in our first game against Tanzania we matched them in every department but you know the game of football . . . Somehow we lost,” said Kowa.
While it is back to the drawing board for Botswana, Banyana Banyana coach Joseph Mkhonza was pleased with his team’s performance.
“We are here to make sure we maintain the winning momentum because we are preparing for the most important match – the last Olympic qualifier against Ethiopia.
“So these games are giving us that platform. I am happy with the team’s performance in the tournament so far,” said Mkhonza.
The match started with Botswana absorbing the pressure but were on the back foot after a quarter of an hour when skipper Dlamini fired home a through ball from midfielder Nothando Vilakazi. The former African Women Footballer of the Year Noku Matlou was kept under check by the Botswana defence in the opening period but came back lively in the second half and scored the second goal when her long-range shot from the flank sailed into the nets.
It was Matlou’s fourth goal of the tournament after scoring a hat-trick in the opening match against Zambia and she is the competition’s leading goalscorer.
South Africa midfielder Makhabane then scored the insurance goal in the 70th minute when she dribbled past her marker with the ball firmly under control to score a classical goal.
Five minutes later Botswana keeper Kagiso Ramogerita was substituted after she was injured during a Banyana Banyana raid.
She was replaced by Peggy Segokgo.
But Banyana Banyana were not finished yet and two minutes before full-time substitute Sukazi got a fine delivery from another substitute Zamandosi Cele and fired home with the ball first hitting the far post before hitting the net.
It was party time for South Africa and they were unfazed when referee Chiwaya was probably too harsh on Jafta and gave the midfielder her marching orders during optional time.
Teams
Botswana
K. Ramogerita (P. Segokgo 75th minute), T. Ramafifi, K. Molefe, B. Otlhagile, B. Khanda, N. Tshitlo(S. Katjiwa 89th minute), G. Tsebe(N. Mogatle 65th minute), T. Ramaeba, G. Selebatso, L. Setereke, B. Johannes.
South Africa:
T. Mnndaweni, M. Makhabane, J. Wyk, A. Sister , Y. Jafta, G. Hlumbane, , S. Masina(Z. Cele 85th minute) N. Vilakazi (Z. Sukazi 49th minute), R. Moodlay, N. Matlou, A. Dlamini.