The record-breaking HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship gets under way on Tuesday as all 14 teams from the Southern African region do battle for the coveted trophy.
It could be one of the most hotly contested tournaments yet and there is certainly much intrigue after the group stage draw. We recap the pools and give a reminder of the history between the sides.
GROUP A
Hosts South Africa headline Group A as they hope to add to their record seven victories in this competition, but will have an experimental squad at the tournament as they look to widen their player pool. They take on Namibia, Eswatini and Seychelles, having never lost to those teams before in international football. South Africa edged Namibia 1-0 at the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship, and beat Eswatini 3-0 last year and 5-0 in 2020. South Africa’s very first international back in 1993 was against Eswatini as they won 14-0. They have not met Seychelles previously in senior women’s competition, with the latter making their debut in the regional championship this year. Namibia faced Eswatini three times at the regional championship between 2018 and 2022 and won on each occasion. Eswatini have yet to make it past the pool stages since their debut in 2002, while Namibia finished second in 2006 and fourth in 2022.
GROUP B
Holders Malawi will defend their title in Gqeberha this year and have been drawn alongside Botswana, Madagascar and Mauritius in their pool. Malawi romped to the title in 2023 on the back of the goals of striker Temwa Chawinga and will be hopeful of retaining their title this year. They have had some tough tussles with Botswana down the years, including a 1-1 draw in 2022 and a 2-0 loss in 2018. But they have had the better of Madagascar on all three occasions they have faced them at the regional showpiece since 2018, winning 2-0 twice and 3-1 on their way to the title last year. Mauritius have lost all nine previous games they have played at the COSAFA Women’s Championship and are the lowest ranked team in this year’s competition at 194 in the world and 46 in Africa.
GROUP C
This is a three-team pool containing 2022 champions Zambia, Angola and Comoros, so there will be little margin for error for the teams with only the group winners advancing to the semifinals. Zambia have reached the last-4 in each of their last seven visits to the competition and aside from their victory two years ago, have two silver medals and three bronzes. They were runners-up to Malawi in the last campaign. Angola were finalists on home soil in 2008 but have battled to get out of the pool before and since then. Comoros have played in four of the last five championships but have also not progressed to the knockouts. Zambia met Angola in Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying late last year and won both legs 6-0, while they also beat them 3-1 at the 2023 COSAFA Cup. Angola will be sick of the sight of them. Zambia also played Comoros at last year’s tournament and won 5-1. Angola beat Comoros 5-0 when they clashed in Gauteng.
GROUP D
Group D will be a highly competitive won with Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho likely all believing they have a chance to progress as pool winners. Zimbabwe were tournament winners on home soil in 2011, and also have two silver medals to their name. They finished fourth last year. They were pipped to the bronze in 2023 by Mozambique, who completed their best ever showing. Lesotho have yet to make it past the group stages but are dangerous on their day with star player Boitumelo Rabale. Mozambique beat Zimbabwe 2-0 last year but lost 4-0 in 2019, while they last met Lesotho in 2018 and won 2-1. Zimbabwe also played Lesotho in 2023 and edged them in a 2-1 win, suggesting there is not all that much between these sides.
