Debutants Herentals Queens and University of the Western Cape (UWC) had mixed fortunes at the start of the CAF Women's Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers in Malawi on Thursday.
Zimbabwe's Queens eased to a comfortable 3-1 win over FC Ongos from Namibia in a noon kick off before UWC lost 1-0 to 2022 champions Green Buffaloes of Zambia.
Both Group A matches took place at 6,000-seater Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.
The fourth edition of the eight-team tournament started with forward Maudy Mafurutse scoring Queens' opener in the 20th minute. She got to the end of a high and long ball before chipping Ongos goalkeeper Agnes Kauzuu.
Nine minutes later, one goal became two when defender Tumbare Egness slid home from the crowded box to ensure the Zimbabweans' two-goal cushion going into break.
Ongos did make a number of substitutions to shore up the leaky defence and when play resumed such changes nearly paid dividends. Substitute Twelikondjele Amukoto, who had replaced Memory Ngonda, rose unmarked at the near-post to meet a corner kick but the Namibian midfielder flashed her effort over the goal.
That miss proved costly as the Zimbabwean students sealed the win through midfielder Melody Chikore's 70th minute volley, minutes after replacing Bridget Mutaurwa.
Next to enter the stage for yet another maiden appearance were UWC, who took on Buffaloes.
The Zambians were, alongside FC Ongos, the only ones with previous experience in the regional qualifiers.
In this second game, the South African's had a lion's share of possession and instantly endeared themselves to the fans with their brand of attacking football.
But for all their enterprising play, it was the Zambians who looked more threatening on the counter-attack.
In one of those forward forays, Malawian striker Vanessa Chikupila nearly scored for Buffaloes in the ninth minute but her effort bounced off the post before UWC averted the danger.
After half-chances and meek attempts, Natasha Nanyangwe finally broke the deadlock in the second half, minutes after replacing Chikupila.
Nanyangwe rose the highest to head into the net from Agness Phiri's corner-kick to win it for Buffaloes.
UWC did not go down without a fight but they found Esther Banda-led Buffaloes defence and goalkeeper Aisha Mbwana difficult to beat.
UWC return to action on August 17 when they meet Queens whereas Buffaloes date FC Ongos on the same day.
The action continues on Friday when Botswana's rookies, Gaborone United, face União Desportiva de Lichinga of Mozambique, followed by a clash between Malawi's debutants, Ascent Academy, against Young Buffaloes from Eswatini.
The overall winner of the 10-day tournament will book a place at the CAF Women's Champions League's ultimate continental finals, joining Mamelodi Sundowns who did not participate in the qualifiers as they had already secured their finals' slot by virtue of being champions of the Cosafa regional qualifiers.
Entrance for fans to all matches will be FREE of charge. You can view all of the fixtures here.
If you cannot get to the stadium, you can watch all matches streamed LIVE on FIFA+.
THURSDAY'S RESULTS
Group A
Herentals Queens 3 (Mafuruse 20', Tumbare 29', Chikore 70') FC Ongos 1 (Kateta 90)
University of the Western Cape 0 Green Buffaloes 1 (Nanyangwe 76')
FRIDAY'S FIXTURES
Group B
Gaborone United vs UD de Lichinga (KO 12h00; 10h00 GMT)
Ascent Academy vs Young Buffaloes (KO 15h00; 13h00 GMT)
GROUP STANDINGS
GROUP A P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Herentals Queens (Zimbabwe) 1 1 0 0 3 1 2 3
Green Buffaloes (Zambia) 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3
Univ. of the Western Cape (South Africa) 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0
FC Ongos (Namibia) 1 0 0 1 1 3 -2 0
GROUP B P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Ascent Academy (Malawi) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gaborone United (Botswana) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
UD de Lichinga (Mozambique) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Young Buffaloes (Eswatini) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 2
Goals scored: 5
Biggest victory: Herentals Queens 3 FC Ongos 1 (Group A, August 15)
Most goals in a game: 4 - Herentals Queens 3 FC Ongos 1 (Group A, August 15)
GOALSCORERS
1 goal - Melody Chikore (Herentals Queens), Ndapewa Kateta (FC Ongos), Maudy Mafuruse (Herentals Queens), Natasha Nanyangwe (Green Buffaloes), Egness Tumbare (Herentals Queens)
Un grand huit à la recherche du Graal africain
Tout est prêt pour le début de la 4e édition des éliminatoires régionales d'accès à la Ligue des Champions Féminine de la CAF | Qualification COSAFA 2024, qui débutera demain, dans la capitale du Malawi, Blantyre, et se terminera le 24 du mois en cours. Rappelons que les éditions précédentes se déroulaient dans la ville balnéaire de Durban, en Afrique du Sud.
Par ailleurs, ce sera le début d'une course effrénée de 10 jours au cours de laquelle les huit équipes de la région se battront avec ardeur pour décrocher une place en phase continentale, qui se tiendra cette année dans un lieu encore à annoncer et, seul le vainqueur des éliminatoires de la COSAFA garantira sa place à cette étape.
Mamelodi Sundowns (Afrique du Sud), championne régionale et continentale en 2021 et 2023, a déjà assuré sa place dans cette finale en tant que détentrice du titre et devrait être rejointe par un autre représentant de la zone australe.
Pendant ce temps, le Groupe A entrera en lice demain, au stade Mpira, à Blantyre, avec les championnes de 2022, les Green Buffaloes de Zambie, qui ouvriront les hostilités contre les débutantes sud-africaines, l'Université du Cap-Occidental, à 15h00. Cette confrontation sera précédée du match entre les formations de Herentals Queens du Zimbabwe et du FC Ongos de Namibie, à 12h00.
Les débutants Gaborone United (Botswana) et l'União Desportiva de Lichinga, du Mozambique, lanceront l'action du Groupe B le 16 août à 12h00, tandis que plus tard, l'Ascent Academy du Malawi et les Young Buffaloes du Eswatini s'affronteront à 15h00, au stade Mpira.
Chaque équipe disputera trois matchs en phase de groupes, les deux premiers de chaque groupe se qualifiant pour les demi-finales. Ces matchs éliminatoires auront lieu le 22 août, la finale étant programmée pour le 24 du même mois. Il n'y a pas de match de classement pour la troisième place.
Jusqu'à présent, seule l'équipe des Aigles de la Medina (Sénégal) a assuré, le week-end dernier, le titre de championne du Tournoi de la WAFU A (Union des Fédérations de Football d'Afrique de l'Ouest), après avoir battu les Determine Girls 2-1.
Ainsi, les représentants des zones suivantes restent encore à définir : WAFU-B (Association des Fédérations de Football d'Afrique de l'Ouest), CECAFA (Conseil des Associations de Football d'Afrique de l'Est et Centrale), COSAFA (Conseil des Associations de Football d'Afrique Australe) et UNIFFAC (Union des Fédérations de Football d'Afrique Centrale).
Herentals Queens e Green Buffaloes estreiam com vitória
A equipa do Herentals Queens (HQN) do Zimbabwe teve uma estreia em grande aolevar de vencida, no Mpira Stadium, a formação do FC Ongos (FCO) da Namíbia, por3-1, em desafio pontuável para a primeira jornada do Grupo A, da quarta edição das eliminatórias regionais de acesso a Liga dos Campeões Feminina da CAF | Qualificação COSAFA 2024, que arrancou hoje, na capital do Malawi, Blantyre devendo terminar no dia 24 deste mês.
A entrada confiante da equipa treinada por Lazarus Magaya, técnico do HQN, permitiu que as zimbabuanas inaugurassem o marcador a passagem do minuto 20, por intermédio da artilheira Maudy Mafuruse, sendo que nove minutos depois, Tumbare Egness (29'), aproveitou uma recarga, para ampliar a vantagem estabelecendo 2-0, após ser batido um ponta-pé-de-canto.
Com fome de golos, as representantes do Zimbabwe mostravam-se implacáveis e procuravam explorar ao máximo os erros defensivos das suas adversárias, de tal forma que Melody Chikore (70'), saltou do banco para marcar o terceiro golo.
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Sem virar a cara à luta, a turma do FC Ongos reduziu o "placard" para 3-1, numinconformismo expresso por Ndapewa Kateta (90+'2'), nos minutos adicionais.
Na próxima jornada, Herentals Queens medirá forças com o campeão de 2022, Green Baffaloes (Zâmbia), às 12h00, enquanto FC Ongos tem o encontro marcado com University of Western Cape (15h00), no Mpira Stadium.
Entretanto, a tarde de hoje, foi marcada com o aliciante despique entre Green Buffaloes da Zâmbia e o estreante University of the Western Cape (UWC) da África do Sul, que foi vice-campeão da liga nacional do Sundowns nas últimas três temporadas. A vitória, essa, acabou sorrindo para as campeãs de 2022, Green Buffaloes, mercê do golo solitário de Natasha Nanyangwe aos 74 minutos.
Com estes desfechos, o Herentals Queens bem como Green Buffaloes (GBF), partilham os mesmos pontos (3) na pauta classificativa, pelo que a próxima ronda será determinante para os dois conjuntos.
Entretanto, amanhã, entra em acção o Grupo B, onde as caloiras da província do Niassa, em Moçambique, União Desportiva de Lichinga enfrentarão o estreante e cabeça-de-série, o Gaborone United Ladies, do Botswana.
O jogo será disputado no Mpira Stadium, às 12h00, seguindo, no mesmo local, o embate entre as formações do Ascent Soccer Academy (Malawi) e o Young Buffaloes, de Eswatini (15h00).
Referir que esta é a quarta edição das eliminatórias regionais, em que apenas a equipavencedora entre os oito clubes se juntará ao Mamelodi Sundowns, detentor do título, na competição continental do final do ano.O Sundowns, ergueu o troféu regional em2021 e 2023, está isenta desta fase da competição.
De acordo com o regulamento da prova, os dois primeiros classificados de cada grupoa avançam para as meias-finais. Estes jogos eliminatórios serão disputados a 22 de Agosto, estando a final marcada para 24 do mesmo mês, sem a disputa da medalha de bronze.
