Zimbabwe have completed the semifinal line-up at the 2023 Hollywoodbets Cosafa Women’s Championship in Gauteng following a 1-1 draw with Botswana in the Group C decider on Wednesday.
They join Malawi, who topped Group A with nine points, Zambia and Mozambique, who finished in first and second places with seven points respectively from Group B.
Zambia and Zimbabwe will clash in a titanic battle in the first semifinal on Friday at noon, before Malawi and Mozambique go head-to-head at 3:30pm.
Both games will be played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville and the much anticipated Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will be used for the first time at a Cosafa tournament at this stage.
Botswana survived an early injury scare against Zimbabwe as goalkeeper Lesego Moeng needed medical attention in the first minute.
Three minutes later Zimbabwe won a corner-kick and it was Priviledge Mupeti who found Ennety Chemhere, who headed home the opener in the opening five minutes to give her side the lead.
Botswana won a free-kick after 25 minutes later and captain Kesegofetse Mochawe delivered it and forced Cynthia Shonga to punch away to deny them the equaliser.
Moments later Lesego Radiakanyo found Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse in the box and she missed the target.
Chemere could have extended the lead three minutes after the half hour mark from range but her shot hit the cross bar.
Zimbabwe took the narrow lead into halftime.
BEST DEFENSIVE RECORD
Botswana upped their tempo in the second half. Balothanyi Johannes could have grabbed the equaliser early on but it wasn’t to be as she couldn’t find the target,
The Mares piled on the pressure and they won a set-piece from range and the skipper Mocahwe was unlucky not to score.
Mupeti had a chance to give her side a cushion goal from a free-kick outside the box after the hour mark but she was denied by the woodwork.
Botswana didn’t give up and eventually levelled with five minutes to go to the final whistle through Johannes who scored her second goal of the tournament.
This is Zimbabwe‘s first international tournament since the country’s suspension was lifted by Fifa.
They finished top of the Group with seven points and they are the side with the best defensive record in the group stage having conceded one goal.
𝑭𝑼𝑳𝑳 𝑻𝑰𝑴𝑬
— COSAFA (@COSAFAMEDIA) October 11, 2023
Zimbabwe become the last team to book a spot in the semi-finals after drawing 1-1 with Botswana in Dobsonville
⚽ 4' Chemhere 🇿🇼
⚽️ 85’ Johannes 🇧🇼
Player of the Match : Mupeti 🇿🇼
At UJ Soweto Stadium the Gladiators win the bragging rights.
Namibia 🇳🇦… pic.twitter.com/m2RTDWohEj
NAMIBIA WIN DEAD-RUBBER
Botswana return to Gaborone as runners-up in the pool with five points, followed by Namibia on four points after they won 2-0 against Lesotho in the dead rubber played at the University of Johannesburg Soweto campus.
Emma Naris scored in the first half while Irene Kooper grabbed the winner in that encounter as last year’s semifinalists also bowed out of the competition.
Entrance for fans to all matches will be FREE of charge, with tickets available at the stadium on match day. They are limited to four per person.
If you cannot get to the stadium, you can watch all matches streamed LIVE on Fifa+. Games will also be carried on SuperSport.
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
Group C
Namibia 2 (Naris 35’, Kooper 74’) Lesotho 0
Zimbabwe 1 (Chemhere 4’) Botswana 1 (Johannes 86’)
FRIDAY’S FIXTURES
Semifinals – Lucas Moripe Stadium
Zambia v Zimbabwe (KO 12h00; 10h00 GMT)
Malawi v Mozambique (KO 15h30; 13h30 GMT)
GROUP STANDINGS
GROUP A P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Malawi (Q) 3 3 0 0 15 4 11 9
South Africa 3 2 0 1 9 5 4 6
Eswatini 3 1 0 2 2 12 -10 3
Madagascar 3 0 0 3 3 8 -5 0
GROUP B P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Zambia (Q) 3 2 1 0 8 2 6 7
Mozambique (Q) 3 2 1 0 4 1 3 7
Angola 3 1 0 2 6 4 2 3
Comoros 3 0 0 3 2 13 -11 0
GROUP C P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Zimbabwe (Q) 3 2 1 0 4 1 3 7
Botswana 3 1 2 0 5 2 3 5
Namibia 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 4
Lesotho 3 0 0 3 0 6 -6 0
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 18
Goals scored: 61
Biggest victory: Malawi 8 Eswatini 0 (Group A, October 7)
Most goals in a game: 8 – Malawi 8 Eswatini 0 (Group A, October 7)
GOALSCORERS
7 – Temwa Chawinga (Malawi)
5 – Thubelihle Shamase (South Africa)
3 – Sarah Jere (Zambia), Fridah Kabwe (Zambia)
2 – Leticia Chinyamula (Malawi), Deolinda Gove (Mozambique), Balothanyi Johannes (Botswana), Luvunga (Angola), Kesegofetse Mochawe (Botswana), Sabinah Thom (Malawi)
1 – Hadhirami Ali (Comoros), Amelia Banze (Mozambique), Caupe (Angola), Emili Cazembe (Mozambique), Ennety Chemhere (Zimbabwe), Vanessa Chikupira (Malawi), Lone Gaofetoge (Botswana), Millicent Hikuam (Namibia), Rose Kadzere (Malawi), Ivone Kooper (Namibia), Sikhanyiso Magagula (Eswatini), Carolyne Mathyola (Malawi), Matuvova (Angola), Priviledge Mupeti (Zimbabwe), Rudo Neshamba (Zimbabwe), Lushomo Mweemba (Zambia), Eddelsisingh Naris (Namibia), Nobukhosi Ncube (Zimbabwe), Tenanile Ngcamphalala (Eswatini), Jackline Nkole (Zambia), Khesani Nkuna (South Africa), Rina Raharimalala (Madagascar), Mohamed Roukia (Comoros), Sambo (Angola), Samkelisiwe Selana (South Africa), Sphumelele Shamase (South Africa), Asimenye Simwaka (Malawi)
Own goal – Hadhirami Ali (Comoros)