dyton mupawaenda
Tadious Manyepo at Mpira Stadium, Malawi
Herentals Queens……………………………………(2)3
FC Ongos……………………………………………….(0)1
HERENTALS QUEENS knew what they wanted.
And they knew how to achieve it.
Debuting at the CAF Women’s Champions League Cosafa qualifiers, the Students had more than a dream start to it with this reassuring victory at the Mpira Stadium yesterday.
They needed to win and settle their nerves in a tough Group A pool that also has giants Green Buffaloes of Zambia and South Africa’s University of Western Cape.
They showed they had the means, not least, with FC Ongos displaying unassuming threat in the opening quarter of an hour.
Player-of-the-match Maudy Mafuruse and new girl Egness Tumbare ensured the Zimbabweans were on their way inside the opening 30 minutes and substitute Melody Chikore made sure of the points in the second half.
Herentals Queens were intent on holding off their Namibians opponents and get them off balance early in the game.
With Mafuruse, Polite Mabika and Praynence Zvawanda keeping the Ongos defence busy, Herentals were always going to get off the mark first.
With 21 minutes on the clock, Mafuruse showed a clean pair of heels when outsprinting her marker to a loose ball and she made no mistake rolling it past a desperate, drawn out Ongos goalie Agnes Kauzulu.
If the Students were not authoritative in the general play at this point, the goal gave them a lift to start expressing themselves with mlre conviction.
Eight minutes later, they added to the tally, the Namibians failing to clear their lines after a low corner kick by Alice Moyo and Tumbare sliding a low effort to double the advantage.
They could have added more in the opening phase but Mabika, Shyline Dambamuromo and Moyo couldn’t quite get enough of the ball when getting chances to strike home.
Herentals Queens looked even more organised in the second stanza especially with their opponents making a glut of panic replacements.
With FC Ongos attempting several times to to go forward, they left some holes at the back and Chikore would soon punish them.
Mabika lofted the ball from the right axis and Chikore, loitering at the back post was home to tap it in. However the Namibians never looked like surrendering especially with Herentals Queens also missing clear chances in the last 15 minutes and right at the death Iina Kakuta got their consolation.
Herentals coach Lazarus Magaya hailed her charges’ spirit.
“We have a group of fighters,” he said.
“I am happy they implemented our game plan exactly the way we designed it.
“The win will boost us going into the next match against Green Buffaloe on Saturday (tomorrow).”
Mafuruse who was full of running throughout the afternoon said the players showed some good teamwork.
Teams
Herentals Queens
Lindiwe Magwede, Bridget Mutaurwa, Alice Moyo, Egness Tumbare, Talent Mukwanda,Yeukai Chipatiko (Loveness Mukura 86min), Shyline Dambamuromo(Sikhulekile Nyoni 86min) Nyasha Munemo (Millanda Chimbwanda 69min),Praynence Zvawanda (Melanda Rungu 86min), Maudy Mafuruse, Polite Mabika
FC Ongos
Agnes Kauzulu, Memory Ngonda, Boitumelo Gammu (Jordan Wallace 60min), Iina Katuta, Utuzuvira Kahiriri (Twelikondjele Amukoto 32mins), Anna Shikusho (Juliana Blou 60min) Ivone Kooper (Beverly Uuezua 60min), Lydianna Nanamus, Livisa Mulunga, Julia Rutjindo, Fiola Vliete
Online Reporter