Tanzania win, South Sudan fall in COSAFA Women’s Championship

It was a day of mixed results as teams from the CECAFA region  Bright Starlets of South Sudan and Tanzania kick-started their campaign in the on-going COSAFA Women’s Championship in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Making their first appearance in the COSAFA event South Sudan lost their Group B match 7-0 to the 2020 runners-up Botswana.

Refiloe Tholakele netted a hat-trick for the Botswana side in a match played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Lesego  Radiakanyo also converted a penalty, while Thanda Onneile Mokgabo, Jonnes Balothanyi and Masego Montso found the other goals.

The Bright Starlets lead by skipper Amy Lasu fought back in the second half and created some scoring chances, but failed to find the net.

“It is not about the final score, but my team getting the exposure and slowly by slowly we shall get there. Botswana did not expect my team to even get to their goal mouth,” said South Sudan’s coach Shilene Margaret Booysen.

In the second Group B match Tanzania humbled Zimbabwe 3-0 with Donisia Daniel Minja giving them a first half lead. Moroccan based professional who was voted MVP Shurua Omary Mwanahamisi made it 2-0 after 51 minutes before Aisha Khamis Masaka got her self on the score sheet after 90 minutes. The Zimbabwe team tried to push to get a goal, but found the Tanzanian team compact in defending.

Shime Bakari Nyundo, the Tanzania coach said he was happy with the win in their opening match. “My players played according to plan and now we need to go back and plan for the next match against Botswana,” added the coach.

Uganda will be in action against Namibia in a Group C match on Thursday at the Nelson Mandela University Stadium. The second game of the day will see Zambia, fresh from the Tokyo Olympics face Eswatini.