EN, FR, PR: Gaborone United, Costa do Sol grab wins in Champions League qualifiers
Gaborone United Ladies FC and Costa do Sol recorded wins on the second day of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers being played at the AW Muller Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa on Saturday.
It was another fantastic day of football as the record 10 teams in this year’s tournament compete for a single place at the continental finals that will be staged later this year.
Last year’s beaten finalists Gaborone United from Botswana claimed a 1-0 victory over Young Buffaloes of Eswatini in a hard-fought Group B encounter in the first game of the day.
Gaborone needed a penalty on 49 minutes from the talismanic Keitumetse Dithebe to seal the win that puts them in charge of the three-team pool.
Buffaloes must now beat Kick4Life in their second game and hope the Lesotho side do them a favour by defeating Gaborone to have a chance of advancing.
Dithebe was named Player of the Tournament last year when the qualifiers were staged in Malawi and has made a good start this time round too.
Costa do Sol from Mozambique opened the scoring against Herentals Queens from Zimbabwe just before the half-hour mark as Lucia Moçambique had the simplest of tap-ins having been teed up in the six-yard box.
The Mozambican side grabbed a second just after halftime and it was a screamer. A long ball fell for Eunencia Machava and she thundered a shot towards goal that rifled into the back of the net.
The second round of matches in Group A will be played on Sunday at the same AW Muller Stadium venue.
And there will be a heavyweight clash between Mamelodi Sundowns and debutantes Zesco Ndola Girls, who both won their openers 3-0 on Friday.
The victor of this clash, if there is one, will be in the pound seats when it comes to qualification for the semi-finals, with only the top team in each pool advancing and the best-placed runner-up.
That match kicks-off at 15h00 CAT (13h00 GMT) and could have huge ramifications on the remainder of the tournament.
Before then, Malawi side Ntopwa FC and another debutante, Beauties FC from Namibia, clash at 12h00 CAT (10h00 GMT) in the hope of keeping their title ambitions alive.
They each have to bounce back from their opening day defeats, but will feel like this is an excellent chance to showcase their quality.
Entrance for fans to all matches will be FREE of charge. If you cannot get to the stadium, you can watch all matches streamed LIVE on FIFA+.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Group B
Gaborone United 1 (Dithebe 49’pen) Young Buffaloes 0
Group C
Herentals Queens 0 Costa do Sol 2 (Moçambique 29’, Machava 50’)
SUNDAY’S FIXTURES
Group A
Ntopwa FC vs Beauties FC (KO 12h00; 10h00 GMT)
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Zesco Ndola Girls (KO 15h00; 13h00 GMT)
GROUP STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Zesco Ndola Girls (Zambia) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Beauties FC (Namibia) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| Ntopwa FC (Malawi) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Gaborone United (Botswana) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Kick4Life (Lesotho) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Young Buffaloes (Eswatini) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| GROUP C | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Costa do Sol (Mozambique) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Olympic de Moroni (Comoros) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Herentals Queens (Zimbabwe) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 4
Goals scored: 9
Biggest victory: Beauties FC 0 Zesco Ndola Girls 3 (Group A, August 22); Mamelodi Sundowns 3 Ntopwa FC 0 (Group A, August 22)
Most goals in a game: 3 – Beauties FC 0 Zesco Ndola Girls 3 (Group A, August 22); Mamelodi Sundowns 3 Ntopwa FC 0 (Group A, August 22)
GOALSCORERS
2 goals – Refilwe Tholakele (Mamelodi Sundowns)
1 – Avell Chitundu (Zambia), Keitumetse Dithebe (Gaborone United), Eunencia Machava (Mozambique), Nthabiseng Majiya (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lucia Moçambique (Costa do Sol), Penelope Mulubwa (Zambia), Eneless Phiri (Zambia)
Gaborone United et Costa do Sol se distinguent
Le tournoi de la CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers, se déroule actuellement au Zimbabwe, attirant l’attention du monde du football féminin. Ce week-end, les premiers matchs ont dévoilé un spectacle prometteur.
Le samedi a été marqué par deux rencontres. Gaborone United Ladies a remporté une victoire serrée contre Young Buffaloes, s’imposant 1-0 grâce à un but de Keitumetse Dithebe à la 49e minute. Dans l’autre match, Costa do Sol a montré sa force face à Herentals Queens, infligeant une défaite 2-0 aux locales avec des buts de Mocambique (21′) et Machava (51′). Ces résultats témoignent de la compétitivité du tournoi, où chaque équipe lutte pour se démarquer.
Le dimanche, les affiches promettent de l’intensité au AJ AW Muller Stadium. Ntopwa FC affrontera Beauties FC à 12h, suivi d’un choc entre Mamelodi Sundowns et Zesco Ndola Girls à 15h. Ces rencontres pourraient bien influencer le tableau de classement et offrir de nouvelles opportunités aux attaquantes de briller.
Après quatre matchs disputés, le tournoi a vu un total de 9 buts inscrits. Les équipes affichent un bon niveau de compétition, avec des matchs qui se jouent souvent sur des détails. Le classement des buteuses est dominé par Tholakele des Mamelodi Sundowns, qui a trouvé le chemin des filets à deux reprises. Plusieurs joueuses suivent avec un but chacune, parmi elles : Chitundu, Mulubwa et Phiri de Zesco Ndola Girls, Majiya et Dithebe, ainsi que les deux buteuses de Costa do Sol, Mocambique et Machava.
Au niveau des classements, dans le groupe A, Mamelodi Sundowns et Zesco Ndola Girls dominent avec 3 points chacun, ayant remporté leurs premiers matchs sans encaisser de buts. Beauties FC et Ntopwa FC sont en difficulté, sans point. Dans le groupe B, Gaborone United est en tête après sa victoire, tandis que Young Buffaloes cherche à rebondir. Enfin, Costa do Sol mène le groupe C avec un match parfait. Les qualifications se poursuivent, et le suspense reste entier quant aux équipes qui se qualifieront pour la phase suivante.
Gaborone United e Costa do Sol triunfam na estreia
O Gaborone United Ladies FC, do Botswana, e o Costa do Sol, de Moçambique, foram as formações em destaque na abertura das Eliminatórias Regionais da COSAFA para a Liga dos Campeões Feminina da CAF, que arrancaram no sábado, 23 de Agosto de 2025, em Joanesburgo, África do Sul, e decorrem até 31 do corrente mês.
No Grupo B, o Gaborone United derrotou as Young Buffaloes, de Eswatini, por 1-0. O golo solitário foi apontado aos 49 minutos por Keitumetse Dithebe, na conversão de uma grande penalidade, depois de várias tentativas falhadas das botsuanesas ao longo da primeira parte. Apesar da vantagem mínima, a formação do Botswana mostrou maior domínio e procurou sempre o ataque, destacando-se a médio Obonetse Rathari, eleita melhor jogadora em campo pela consistência no meio-campo.
Já no Grupo C, o Costa do Sol confirmou o favoritismo e venceu o Herentals Queens, do Zimbabwe, por 2-0. A internacional moçambicana Lúcia Moçambique abriu o marcador aos 29 minutos, colocando a sua equipa na frente ao intervalo. Na etapa complementar, uma falha defensiva do conjunto zimbabueano foi aproveitada por Eunencia Machava, que ampliou para 2-0 aos 50 minutos. Eunencia, decisiva no ataque e no pressing alto, foi distinguida como melhor jogadora em campo. A equipa moçambicana mostrou-se coesa, segura e superior em todos os setores, perante adversárias incapazes de alterar o rumo do jogo.
Com estes resultados, o Gaborone United Ladies assume a liderança provisória do Grupo B com 3 pontos, enquanto as Young Buffaloes ficam sem pontuar. O grupo será animado na próxima ronda com a estreia do Kick4Life, do Lesoto. No Grupo C, o Costa do Sol soma igualmente 3 pontos e lidera, seguido pelo Herentals Queens, que ainda procura os primeiros pontos. A equipa do Olympic de Moroni (Comores) entra em ação na segunda jornada.
Próximos jogos
A segunda jornada disputa-se este domingo, 24 de Agosto. Estão agendados os seguintes duelos: Young Buffaloes vs Kick4Life (Grupo B) e Costa do Sol vs Olympic de Moroni (Grupo C). Estes jogos poderão começar a definir os candidatos às meias-finais, agendadas para 29 de agosto, enquanto a final está marcada para 31 do mesmo mês .
De acordo com o regulamento, apenas os vencedores de cada grupo e o melhor segundo classificado seguem para as meias-finais. A entrada é gratuita mediante levantamento de bilhetes no estádio, e todos os jogos são transmitidos ao vivo na plataforma FIFA+ e no canal oficial da COSAFA no YouTube, reforçando a promoção do futebol feminino na região.
