Banyana Reach COSAFA Cup Final
Namibia will meet hosts South Africa in the final of the Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Championship 2025 after stunning defending champions Zambia with a 1-0 win in the first semi-final at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Friday.
South Africa defeated Zimbabwe 4-2 on penalties after their semi-final ended 1-1 in regular time.
Veteran midfielder Zenatha Coleman set up Juliana Blou in injury time to secure victory for the Brave Gladiators and send them into their first final in 20 years. The Copper Queens were wasteful in front of goal in both halves. Margaret Belemu found Avell Chitundu inside the opening five minutes, but the latter sent the ball onto the roof of the net.
There was also an opportunity for captain Kabange Mupopo, but her effort did not trouble the Namibia goalkeeper. Eneless Phiri could also have scored from a free-kick, but missed the target as she shot just over the bar.
The match went into half-time deadlocked and it was Namibia who showed more urgency in the opening stages of the second half, with Coleman shooting wide.
Zambia were again guilty of getting into the opposition half but could not find the killer instinct.
With the match looking set for a goalless draw and potential penalties, Zambia lost possession, Coleman pounced and slipped the ball through for Blou, who made no mistake with the all-important goal.
In the second game, Zimbabwe showed their intention to score as early as the second minute through Privilege Mupeti, forcing the South African defence into a clearance.
Nine minutes later, Mupeti found Ethel Chinyerere, who broke the deadlock with a stunner into the top corner from outside the box.
Banyana Banyana had a chance to level through Nonhlanhla Mthandi inside 20 minutes, but her shot was too tame to cause Zimbabwe any problems. There was another chance for the record seven-time champions to pull one back through Nthabiseng Majiya from a Shakira O’Malley pass, but she missed the target.
Majiya responded eight minutes after the half-hour mark, latching onto a Casey Gordon goal-kick and levelling the scores.
The changes made by Sithethelelwe Sibanda in the second half almost had an early impact as substitute Bridget Mutaurwa combined with Rutendo Makore, who also came off the bench, but the former COSAFA top goalscorer missed the ball by an inch.
The swing in possession then saw Banyana captain Sibulele Holweni test Cynthia Shongwe from range, with the Zimbabwean goalkeeper denying her. Shongwe was again on high alert to keep Banyana out from a Sinegugu Zondi set-piece. Holweni could have scored after capitalising on a corner rebound, but missed by inches as the ball flew over the bar.
The game ended 1-1 and was decided on penalties, with Gordon saving one spot-kick and Nokukhanya Ndlovu hitting the woodwork as Banyana won 4-2.
Namibia’s last final in the competition was in 2006 when they lost 3-1 to South Africa.
The final will be played at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday with a 15:00 kick-off (13:00 GMT).
