The Golden Glove award for Best Goalkeeper at the HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship has been handed out on a regular basis since the 2017 tournament, with the five previous winners all making their mark in the game.
It is not just goals that win games, but saves and commanding keepers too who can turn the tide in the favour of their side and it will be interesting to see who does the business when the 2022 competition is played in Nelson Mandela Bay from August 31-September 11.
Here is a look back at who the Golden Glove winners have been and where they are now.
2017 – CHIDO DZINGIRAI (ZIMBABWE)
Dzingirai helped Zimbabwe into the final, where they lost 2-1 to South Africa in Bulawayo.
But her excellent all-round performances were recognised with the Golden Glove, despite Zimbabwe conceding six times in the tournament.
Dzingirai continues to be a leading player in her country and was most recently with Zambian side Institute for Sustainable Development on a one-year loan.
She made her Zimbabwe debut in 2008 but is still only 30 years of age.
2018 – RUTH ATORU (UGANDA)
Uganda were a guest nation at the 2018 COSAFA Women’s Championship and so brought some east African flair to the competition.
Not least goalkeeper Atoru, who was superb as the Crested Cranes topped their pool, only to lose to South African in the semifinals. They then won the bronze-medal match with Atoru keeping a clean-sheet against Zambia.
She won the Golden Glove for per performances and she has since gone on to captain her country in a stellar career. She moved to Finnish side FC KTP in March.
2019 – ANDILE DLAMINI (SOUTH AFRICA)
South Africa only conceded two goals on their way to lifting the 2019 COSAFA Women’s Championship and much of that was down to the performances of goalkeeper Dlamini.
Only Malawi and Zimbabwe breached her defences, but she held firm in the final as Banyana Banyana saw off Zambia 1-0.
Dlamini remains the No 1 for South Africa and is also an integral part of the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies side that were crowned African champions in 2021, and the Banyana Banyana team they lifted the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
At the age of 29, you would think the flambouyant keeper has many more years left in her.
2020 – MAITUMELO BOSIJA (BOTSWANA)
Bosija has long been a star performer for Botswana and helped The Mares to the final of the 2020 COSAFA Women’s Championship, where they eventually lost 2-1 to South Africa.
She conceded only twice in the competition and made a number of outstanding saves as Botswana also came through a tough semifinal against Zambia.
She was key when The Mares knocked Banyana Banyana out of the qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic Games in a shock result, and played all five games as Botswana reached the quarterfinals of the recent Wafcon in Morocco.
2021 – NGAMBO MUSOLE (ZAMBIA)
Musole could not help her Zambia side to the gold medal, but they did end up winning bronze last year as they defeated South Africa in a penalty shoot-out I the third-place play-off.
The 24-year-old did not feature for the Copper Queens in the recent Wafcon, which was something of a surprise, but was part of her national team at the 2014 Fifa U-17 Women’s World Cup, before making her senior debut against Chile in 2020.
She is certainly one of the future and the ZESCO United stopper will now seek to work hard to win back her place.
© COSAFA