On day two of the Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship, Malawi and Botswana played to a 1-1 draw, while Madagascar triumphed over Mauritius with a 5-1 victory. Malawi leads the match in the first half, but Botswana equalized just before halftime. The current standings see Madagascar on three points, Botswana and Malawi with one point each, and Mauritius at the bottom.
On the second day of the Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship, defending champions Malawi commenced their title defense with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Botswana at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha, South Africa. In an earlier encounter of Group B, Madagascar emphatically triumphed over Mauritius with a score of 5-1. Malawi demonstrated a strong performance in the initial 20 minutes of their match, yet Botswana’s experienced captain and goalkeeper, Sedilame Boseja, managed to thwart numerous attempts, including two key saves from Asimenye Simwaka. The breakthrough came for Malawi just before the half-hour mark when Faith Chinzimu capitalized on a corner kick to score. Despite falling behind, Botswana quickly responded and had a chance to equalize with a corner, where the header from Lone Gaofetoge narrowly missed the target. Just before halftime, teamwork led to an equalizing goal for Botswana, initiated by Keitumetse Dithebe, who set up Laone Moloi for the finish. The second half saw few opportunities until Botswana nearly took the lead around the hour mark, as Mochawe’s shot missed the mark. In the closing stages of the match, Malawi’s Mercy Sikelo was pivotal in preserving the draw, making critical saves against attempts from Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse and substitute Yaone Modise. The outcome of the match places Madagascar at the top of Group B with three points after their impressive win over Mauritius, who spent the match building on a historic moment by scoring their first-ever tournament goal thanks to Julie Gopal. As for the group standings, Botswana holds one point, Malawi follows with the same, while Mauritius remains at the bottom without any points. Looking ahead, the upcoming day will see the commencement of matches in Group C and Group D, with notable fixtures scheduled for the 2022 winners, Zambia, and Angola, alongside Mozambique competing against Zimbabwe.
The Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship is an annual tournament featuring various national women’s teams from the Southern African region, showcasing emerging talent and promoting women’s football in the area. The tournament, hosted this year in Gqeberha, South Africa, includes multiple groups, each competing for advancement in the knockout stages. The performances of teams such as Malawi, Botswana, Madagascar, and Mauritius illustrate the competitive nature of women’s football in the region, with defending champions Malawi eager to maintain their title and other teams striving for success.
In summary, the second day of the Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship witnessed defending champions Malawi drawing with Botswana, while Madagascar secured a significant victory over Mauritius. The results highlight both the competitive spirit and the emergence of teams within the tournament. With Madagascar leading Group B, the focus will now shift to the upcoming matches in Groups C and D, which promise further excitement in the competition.
Original Source: www.namibian.com.na
