EN, FR, PR: Gaborone United and ZESCO Ndola Girls book semi-final places
Defending champions Gaborone United Ladies and ZESCO Ndola Girls have secured their places in the semi-finals of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier Botswana 2026 after Group A wins at the Gaborone United Stadium on Saturday.
Both teams have six points from their two matches, with ZESCO leading the pool on goal difference ahead of their meeting with Gaborone on Monday, which will be a straight shoot-out for top spot.
Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens and Lesotho Defence Force are out of contention for a place in the semi-finals, but can earn their first points when they meet in their final pool fixture.
Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse gave Gaborone the lead in their 1-0 win over Queens as she latched onto a superb cross from the left and side-footed the ball into the back of the net after 18 minutes.
It extends her tournament record to 12 goals, making her the most prolific player in the six-year history of the regional championship. Four of those goals came in the colours of Double Action Ladies and eight for Gaborone.
There were no more goals after that, but the home side did enough to secure the win and progress to the last four.
Last year’s beaten finalists ZESCO maintained their perfect start to the campaign with a 1-0 victory over Lesotho Defence Force.
They were made to work for the three points by a determined LDF side, but found the breakthrough they needed and protected their advantage to make it two wins from two in the competition.
Eneless Phiri scored the winning goal on the stroke of halftime with a brilliant run and finish as she burst through the LDF defence for her third goal of the competition.
ZESCO had opened their campaign with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens on Thursday, when Phiri and Charity Mubanga scored twice each and Penelope Mulubwa was also on target.
This was a tighter contest, but the Zambian champions again showed why they are among the leading contenders for the crown as they added a clean sheet to their impressive start.
Sunday preview
Group B returns to centre stage at the Gaborone United Stadium on Sunday with two fixtures as the battle for semi-final places begins to take shape.
Nsingizini Hotspurs of Eswatini face Mozambique’s Costa do Sol at 16h00 local time (14h00 GMT), with both sides looking for their first points after opening-day defeats.
Tournament debutants Nsingizini endured a difficult introduction as they were beaten 8-0 by two-time regional champions Mamelodi Sundowns, while Costa do Sol will feel they let an opportunity slip after taking the lead inside 24 seconds against Silver Strikers before going down 2-1.
Costa do Sol have plenty of experience in this competition, having finished third in 2023 and reached the semi-finals last year, and will be desperate to get their campaign back on track.
The second game at 19h00 (17h00 GMT) brings together the two opening-round winners as Sundowns face Malawi’s Silver Strikers.
Sundowns were in devastating form against Nsingizini, with Lelona Daweti and Refilwe Tholakele both scoring hat-tricks, and another victory would put them in a commanding position.
Silver Strikers showed resilience on debut by coming from behind against Costa do Sol, with Ireen Khumalo and Grace Kakangula on target.
All games will be streamed live on FIFA+ and COSAFA’s YouTube Channel to a global audience.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Group A
Lesotho Defence Force 0 ZESCO Ndola Girls 1 (E. Phiri 45’)
Gaborone United 1 (Ontlametse 18’) Herentals Queens 0
SUNDAY’S FIXTURES (both Gaborone United Stadium)
Group B
Nsingizini Hotspurs vs Costa do Sol (KO 16h00; 14h00 GMT)
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Silver Strikers (KO 19h00; 17h00 GMT)
GROUP STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| ZESCO Ndola Girls (Zambia) (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Gaborone United (Botswana) (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Lesotho Defence Force (Lesotho) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| Herentals Queens (Zimbabwe) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 0 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
| Silver Strikers (Malawi) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Costa do Sol (Mozambique) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| Nsingizini Hotspurs (Eswatini) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | -8 | 0 |
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 6
Goals scored: 23
Biggest victory: Mamelodi Sundowns 8 Nsingizini Hotspurs 0 (Group B, August 21)
Most goals in a game: 8 – Mamelodi Sundowns 8 Nsingizini Hotspurs 0 (Group B, August 21)
GOALSCORERS
3 goals – Lelona Daweti (Mamelodi Sundowns), Eneless Phiri (ZESCO Ndola Girls), Refilwe Tholakele (Mamelodi Sundowns)
2 – Charity Mubanga (ZESCO Ndola Girls)
1 – Natasha Benza (Herentals Queens), Catherine Gwangwara (Herentals Queens), Grace Kakangula (Silver Strikers), Ireen Khumalo (Silver Strikers), Isabella Ludwig (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lucia Moçambique (Costa do Sol), Sandra Mugwara (Mamelodi Sundowns), Penelope Mulubwa (ZESCO Ndola Girls), Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse (Gaborone United Ladies), Tlamelo Pheresi (Lesotho Defence Force), Lesego Radiakanyo (Gaborone United Ladies), Goitsemang Tlamma (Gaborone United Ladies)
ZESCO Ndola Girls et Gaborone United confirment leur domination
La phase de groupes de la compétition régionale de la CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier se poursuit activement sur le terrain. Lors de la journée de samedi, le Groupe A a fait l’objet de deux confrontations majeures et particulièrement décisives pour le classement général.
L’équipe zambienne de ZESCO Ndola Girls a validé une victoire étriquée mais essentielle de 1-0 face au Lesotho Defence Force. Le but de la délivrance a été inscrit par l’attaquante Eneless Phiri à la 45e minute de jeu, juste avant le coup de sifflet de la pause. Dans le second match de ce groupe, la formation botswanaise de Gaborone United s’est également imposée sur le plus petit des scores, 1-0, face aux Zimbabwéennes de Herentals Queens.
C’est Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse qui a brillamment débloqué la situation de manière précoce en trouvant le chemin des filets adverses dès la 18e minute de la première période. Ces deux résultats combinés permettent à ZESCO Ndola Girls et Gaborone United de cohabiter fermement en tête du classement de la poule A avec six points chacun en deux sorties. L’équipe zambienne occupe la première place grâce à une différence de buts favorable de +4 contre +2 pour le club hôte du Botswana.
Les formations de Lesotho Defence Force et Herentals Queens restent bloquées à zéro point et occupent les deux dernières positions. En parallèle, le Groupe B a vu une seule journée disputée jusqu’à présent. Mamelodi Sundowns domine outrageusement les débats avec trois points et une différence de buts de +8, suivi de près par Silver Strikers qui compte aussi trois points précieux. Costa do Sol et Nsingizini Hotspurs complètent la marche avec aucun point inscrit. La suite du calendrier officiel prévoit deux affiches ce dimanche au Gaborone United Stadium pour le compte du Groupe B.
À 16h00, Nsingizini Hotspurs affrontera Costa do Sol. Ensuite, à 19h00, le leader Mamelodi Sundowns jouera contre son dauphin direct Silver Strikers. Sur le plan statistique, la compétition comptabilise déjà six matchs joués pour un total global de vingt-trois buts inscrits. Le record du plus large succès appartient à Mamelodi Sundowns pour sa victoire éclatante 8-0 contre Nsingizini Hotspurs le 21 août. Au classement individuel des meilleures réalisatrices, Lelona Daweti, Refilwe Tholakele et Eneless Phiri occupent la tête avec trois buts inscrits chacune.
ZESCO e Gaborone United selam apuramento
A segunda jornada do Grupo A das Eliminatórias Regionais da COSAFA para a Liga dos Campeões Feminina da CAF deixou o apuramento para as meias-finais praticamente decidido, com o ZESCO Ndola Girls e o Gaborone United a somarem novas vitórias e a isolarem-se na frente da classificação.
No primeiro encontro do dia, as zambianas do ZESCO Ndola Girls repetiram a dose da jornada inaugural e derrotaram o Lesotho Defence Force Ladies por 1-0. A internacional Eneless Phiri voltou a ser decisiva, ao apontar o golo da vitória já no minuto 45, numa jogada individual de grande nível que deixou três defesas pelo caminho e culminou com um remate preciso à entrada da grande área, depois de uma tabelinha com uma colega e de afastar a guarda-redes Sebolelo Mweza. Apesar da forte pressão exercida pelo conjunto do Lesotho na segunda parte, com Phiri sempre a levar perigo em contra-ataques, a equipa de Zâmbia soube gerir a vantagem e somar o segundo triunfo consecutivo, com a sua artilheira a ser eleita pela segunda vez melhor em campo.
No segundo desafio, o Gaborone United confirmou o estatuto de campeão em título e anfitrião, ao bater o Herentals Queens por 1-0. Ontlametse, a avançada que já havia brilhado na edição anterior com a Bota de Ouro, inaugurou o marcador aos 17 minutos, num contra-ataque rápido assistido por Keitumetse Dithebe. O público presente no GU Stadium vibrava com as donas de casa, que, apesar de uma segunda parte menos fluida e de um Herentals mais incisivo, souberam aguentar a pressão graças a uma exibição segura da guarda-redes Tlamelo Pheresi, intransponível aos 58 minutos. Os minutos finais foram de sufoco, mas a defensiva botsuana esteve unida e solidária até ao apito final.
Com estes resultados, ZESCO Ndola Girls e Gaborone United chegam aos seis pontos, garantindo matematicamente os dois lugares de acesso às meias-finais, uma vez que LDF Ladies e Herentals Queens permanecem sem qualquer ponto. A última jornada, na segunda-feira, servirá apenas para decidir a ordem dos dois primeiros: o ZESCO, com melhor diferença de golos, ocupa provisoriamente a liderança, mas o encontro directo frente ao Gaborone United, agora agendado para as 19h00, dirá quem fecha a fase de grupos no primeiro lugar. O desfecho é relevante, já que, segundo o regulamento, o vencedor do Grupo A defrontará o segundo classificado do Grupo B, e vice-versa. Já o duelo entre Herentals Queens e LDF Ladies, às 16h00, assume-se como uma questão de honra para definir o terceiro posto, já fora da corrida ao apuramento.
Importa frisar que a estrutura organizativa reviu os horários da competição, pelo que os jogos disputam-se, até ao dia 27, às 12h00 e às 19h00. O torneio, que decorre até ao próximo dia 29 de Agosto no coração de Botswana, prossegue com transmissão em directo na plataforma FIFA+ e no canal de YouTube da COSAFA.
