Zambia thrash Botswana

ZAMBIA’S Mupopo Kabange scored a brace to lead her team to a deserved victory when they beat Botswana in their final Group B match of the Cosafa Women’s Championships at Rufaro yesterday.
Kabange’s first goal came in the 34th minute before she completed her brace four minutes after the breather. Noria Sosala made it three for Zambia in the 77th minute and Gift Lisaka sealed the victory in the 87th minute.
Botswana found their consolation goal through their captain Bonang Otlhagile, three minutes into added time.
Both teams are out of the tournament.
Zambia’s coach Enala Phiri was pleased with her team’s performance and said although they were out of the competition, they had learnt a lot.
“This is a consolation game, at least it is good to end this way. I am happy with the results although we were booted out of the tournament, we didn’t give up.
“I believe experience is a great teacher, the girls got the experience and in the next tournament we will aim higher,” said Phiri.
Phiri, however, was not happy with the draw by the organisers for the tournament.
“I only wish for the Cosafa draw to be nicely conducted. It was not fairly done, our group was tough while Group A was easy. Next time they have to make it easy for all the teams. I will make a report on what happened and what is happening in women’s football in Africa and go back to the drawing board. We hope to go flat out in our country on the development of women’s football.
“The experience we got here was the greatest, we learnt a lot,” said Phiri.
Her counterpart Gaoletlhoo Nkutlwisang applauded her charges despite losing yesterday’s match, which saw them finishing bottom of the log standings in Group B with no points.
“We have learnt a lot. We came here without having four key players. We played well but we did not take our chances.
“They (Cosafa) have to keep on organising these kind of tournaments for us to see whether we are improving or not by playing different teams,”said Nkutlwisang.
Teams
Zambia: M. Wilombe, D. Chisanga, M. Banda, C. Musonda (M. Zulu 66th minute), A. Kibanji, M. Kabange, E. Banda, M. Kamuti (G. Lisaka 42nd minute), N. Sosala, E. Matukuta, R. Lutaka.
Botswana: T. Ramafifi, K. Molefe, B. Otlhagile, B. Khanda, P. Segokgo, N. Mogatle, N. Tshitlho (N. Masimola 51st minute), G. Tsebe (G. Selebatso 72nd minute), T. Ramaeba, L. Setereke, B. Johannes (T. Mafura 82nd minute).