Namibia (0) 2
Banyana Banyana (1) 1
BANYANA Banyana failed to end their two-year streak of being beaten in the Cosafa Women’s Championship finals by Namibia at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, yesterday afternoon.
Goals for Namibia were scored by Kamatungua Hanavi and Memory Ngonda. Nthabiseng Majiya had prioritized theThey were tight in the first half.
Namibia, which reached the final for the first time in 2006 and was defeated by Banyana 3-1, is the first to win Cosafa since its establishment in 2002.
Banyana, who reached the final by defeating Zimbabwe 4-2 on penalties, won the tournament for the last time in 2020.
It is expected that in 2022, it will be beaten by Zambia 1-0, and it will be the same in 2024, it will be destroyed by Zambia 4-3 after penalty kicks. .
Banyana, who had more opportunities than Namibia, scored a goal in the 36th minute, which Majiya put in after a mistake by the Namibian defender, Ndapewa Katuta.
In the second half, the Brave Gladiators got better. In the 55th minute, Hanavi closed in on the equaliser, pushing a shot from outside the box.
Mistakes in Banyana’s back wall were highlighted again when Ngonda blocked the ball in the 92nd minute of extra time.
Although most of the Banyana players who played in the tournament are not the ones playing in the main team that will host it in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), some of the players who impressed coach Desiree Ellis in the tournament may get a place.
Wafcon will be held in Morocco, from March 17 to April 3. Banyana is ranked in Group B with Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Tanzania.