Individuals shine at COSAFA Under-20 Women’s Championship
Football is a team game, but there will also be individual honours up for grabs when the women’s Under-20 competition is played at the Region 5 Games in Windhoek, Namibia from July 4-13.
Eight teams will compete for the top prize in a competition that is a vital stepping-stone between junior and senior international football.
Many players have come through the COSAFA Under-20 competition to go on to represent their senior national sides and that will be the goal of all the players who compete in Windhoek.
While there have been several tournaments in this age-group at Region 5 Games in the past, the COSAFA Under-20 Women’s Championship has been played twice before as a stand-alone competition, most recently in December last year.
Enekia Lunyamila was named the first Player of the Tournament after she led East African guest nation Tanzania to the inaugural title in 2019.
She was just 17 at the time and has gone on to become a regular with the Tanzania senior national side, and most recently signed for Mexican club Jaurez.
Zambia’s Saliya Mwanza was named Player of the Tournament in 2024 and it will be fascinating to follow her career path.
Maylan Mulenga scored five goals for the Copper Queens in 2019 to take the Golden Boot as top scorer. She has also gone on to become a senior Zambia international.
The Golden Boot was shared between Ruth Muwowo (Zambia) and Adrielle Mibe (South Africa) in 2024 as they netted four goals each.
Zimbabwe’s Cynthia Shonga won the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper in 2019 and has also gone on to represent her country on the senior international stage. She played at the COSAFA Women’s Championship in both 2020 and 2021.
Zambia’s Mwila Mufunte was named Golden Glove winner in 2024 and has a bright future ahead of her having recently joined the Green Buffaloes club on loan.
She is a top talent to look out for in the future.
COSAFA UNDER-20 WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD WINNERS
PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
2019 – Enekia Lunyamila (Tanzania)
2024 – Saliya Mwanza (Zambia)
GOLDEN BOOT
2019 – Maylan Mulenga (Zambia) – 5 goals
2024 – Ruth Muwowo (Zambia), Adrielle Mibe (South Africa) – 4 goals
GOLDEN GLOVE
2019 – Cynthia Shonga (Zimbabwe)
2024 – Mwila Mufunte (Zambia)
