Ashley Nakazwe

African, but mostly Women's Football through my lens

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  • Press Release : Cosafa Women’s Inaugural Draw

    INAUGURAL COSAFA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW SET FOR JULY 29 | ZONAL QUALIFIER | TOTAL CAF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2021

    The draw for the inaugural edition of the COSAFA Women’s Champions League will be held on Thursday, July 29 when the seven competing teams will hope to win a place at the TOTAL CAF Women’s Champions League later this year.

    The draw for the August 26-September 4 competition will take place in Johannesburg at 11h00 and will be streamed live on http://www.cosafa.tv as the sides learn their fate in the latest exciting edition to the COSAFA football calendar.

    The host city for the competition will also be unveiled as the champions from women’s domestic leagues across the region fight it out for top honours in COSAFA’s first ever club tournament.

    The seven-team field contains South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, Double Action Ladies (Botswana), Manzini Wanderers LFC (Eswatini), Lesotho Defence Force (Lesotho), Turu Magic (Namibia), Green Buffaloes FC (Zambia) and Black Rhino Queens FC (Zimbabwe).

    The teams will be split into two groups, one with four sides and the other three, with the top two teams in each pool advancing to the semifinals.

    The TOTAL CAF Women’s Champion League is due to be staged later in the year and the COSAFA competition will serve as a qualifier for that, with the winner advancing to the continental finals.

    “We are delighted to be hosting the first ever COSAFA Women’s Champions League, which has been a competition we had been hoping to add to our calendar for some time,” COSAFA General Secretary Sue Destombes says.

    “Women’s football is certainly coming on in leaps and bounds in Africa and we are excited to be playing our part in that. We certainly see this as a competition that will grow much bigger in the years to come and will be a fantastic platform for our players in the region.”

    Press Release : Cosafa Media

  • A draw for the Copper as Banda bags another Hat-trick!

    The Zambian Women National Team took on the People’s Republic of China in their second match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in a 4 all draw.

    Wang Shuang gave the Chinese “Steel Roses” an early lead 6 minutes into the match but 9 minutes later, Rachel Kundananji equalised with header. However, Wang came back with a Hat-trick when she scored two goals a minute apart in the 22nd and 23rd minute to put the Chinese back into a somewhat comfortable lead.

    In the 42nd minute, Barbara Banda put her name on the score sheet when a penalty was awarded to Zambia after a foul on Kundananji to go into the half-time hopeful with only a goal down. A minute into the second half, Barbara Banda leveled scores for the Copper Queens and then finally, in the 68th minute she scored her third goal to earn her the second Hat-trick in the tournament.

    Banda become the first African Footballer to score two Hat-tricks in a single tournament.

    The match ended 4:4 after a penalty was awarded to the Steel Roses in the 83rd minute and Wang scored her 4th goal to take a point each for the two teams

    Zambia play Brazil on Tuesday July 27th in the last group stage match.

  • Barbara Banda scores a Hatrick as the Copper Queens lose 10-3 to the Dutch in their opening match.

    The Zambian Women National Team started off their Tokyo 2020 Olympics campaign with a major loss against European side, Netherlands.

    The Copper Queens started off pretty well but lost control of their defense which led to the Dutch scoring 3 goals in the first 15mins of the game. Barbara Banda however managed to get one back in the 19th minute but 10 minutes later, Meidema scored her Hatrick to make it 4:1 to the Netherlands. In the 38th minute, Martens scored her second goal in the match while just before half time, Van de Sanden made it 6:1.

    Viviane Meidema

    In the second half, the Zambian defence was still making errors that led to Miedema scoring her 4th goal in the 59th minute to make it 7. Goal numbers 8,9 and 10 came through from Rood (68th, Beerenteyn (75th) and Pelova (82nd) respectively to award the Dutch a double digit scoreline.

    Just when it seemed to be all over, Barbara Banda gave the Zambians some dignity when she manged to get the ball into the net with a beautiful finish and a minute later scored a Hatrick to become the youngest African player in Women’s Football Olympic history to score 3 goals in a match.

    Barbara Banda

    The Copper Queens play China on Saturday July 24th, 2021 next.

  • Bafana Bafana Cosafa Cup 2021 Champions.

    South Africa’s Bafana Bafana victorious as they win 5-4 on Penalties to scoop their 5th Cosafa Cup title in the 20th edition of the COSAFA Cup tournament held in Nelson Mandela Bay on Sunday July 18th, 2021.

    The final match between the host Nation and Senegal played out to a goalless draw in both regulation and extra time with both teams having a fair share of opportunities but none to convert which led to penalties.

    It was the shot by Senegalese Goalkeeper Pape Ndiaye that went over the bar that decided the fate of the match after each side had missed a penalty and South Africa being at the advantage.

    South African Goalkeeper Veli Mothwa was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament for his outstanding performance for going five games without conceding a goal.

    Veli Mothwa – South African Goalkeeper

    Midfielder Siyethemba Sithebe was named the player of the Tournament while the top goal scorer Accolade was awarded to Victor Letsoalo who scored 4 goals, 3 being a hatrick in the match against Lesotho.

    Left: Sithebe (Player of the Tournament) & Right: Victor Letsoalo (Golden Boot)

    Photo Credits: Cosafa Media

  • Eswatini beat Mozambique on Penalties to get the Bronze Medal.

    The 3rd place play offs between Eswatini and Mozambique played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium ended with a 1 all draw at regulation time and went into penalties.

    Mozambique took the lead when Thauzene scored in the 39th minute. The Mambas sailed through the 2nd half without conceding until Mkhontfo of Eswatini equalised a minute before Full Time.

    Mozambique team celebrating their goal.

    “We knew it was going to be a tough one playing against Mozambique. They always play in high intensity with aggregation. In the first half, we made the game difficult for ourselves. We created a lot of scoring opportunities but we could not convert. In Football, you get punished if you cannot convert.” – Eswatini Coach, Dominic Kunene. “In the second half we had to come up with a different approach and get the equaliser” he added.

    Eswatini won 4:2 on penalties to get the third place Broze medal.

  • FAZ PART WAYS WITH COACH MICHO

    The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) wishes to announce to its members and stakeholders that it has mutually separated with the senior Men’s National Team Head Coach Milutin ‘Michó’ Sredojevic.

    “FAZ can confirm that it has reached a mutual separation agreement with its senior Men’s National Team coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic. After a meeting between FAZ and the coach, it was agreed that in the interest of progress for both parties they had to separate,” says FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala.

    Since taking over last year on February 3rd, Micho had been in charge of the Chipolopolo in the AFCON qualifiers, CHAN and Cosafa Cup Qualifiers of which they underperformed.

    “I am grateful to the Zambian people, the players, coaches, officials and the fans who supported me in various ways during my stay. All the positive experience with Chipolopolo Zambia I will use in my career ahead and would like to wish all the best to Zambia,” – Micho

    Source : FAZ Media

  • Guest Nation Senegal will take on Hosts South Africa in the Cosafa Cup final.

    After back to back matches, it’s finally down to the last two. The finals of the Tournament will be played on Sunday July 18th, 2021.

    Senegal qualified for the Semi Finals after a last minute 2:1 win against Malawi on Wednesday to book a spot against opponents Eswatini. The West Africans came from 2 goals down to level up with Eswatini at Full time and won 3:0 on penalties.

    South Africa on the other hand secured their spot in the Semi Finals when they won 4:0 against Lesotho with a match to spare against Zambia which they went on to draw.

    In their Semi Finals Match, Bafana Bafana fired up against Mozambique who they beat 3:0 to get into the finals with goals by Ngcobo, Maart and lastly a penally shot by Letsoalo in the 73rd minute that sealed the deal.

    Moegamat Maart – MOTM

    Photo Credits – Cosafa Media.

  • A flight away as the Copper Queens leave for Tokyo.

    The journey has officially began for Zambia National Womens Teams as they flew off to Tokyo, Japan on July 13th,2021 to participate in the upcoming Olympics.

    The Copper Queens are competing against the Netherlands, China and Brazil in Group F.

    “The morale has been high in camp, and this is the day that everyone has been waiting for and it has finally come. We are very much ready as a team and the preparation has been going on well. ” – Barbara Banda, Team Captain.

    Source – FAZ Media, Photo Credits – National Olympics Committee of Zambia.

  • Two loses and a win finally for the Chipolopolo boys.

    The Defending Champions Zambia, started off their 2021 Cosafa Cup campaign in group A on a rocky patch. They met a wounded Lesotho in their first match on July 8th who had just suffered a major loss against Eswatini on debut day.

    Justin Shonga opened the score line in the 29th minute but in the 2nd half, Lesotho through Motebag Sera who came in as a Substitute in the 67th minute equalized and 18 minutes later he (Sera) doubled their lead and gave Lesotho their first win.

    On Saturday July 10th, Sandile Gumede scored the only goal in the game to give Eswatini a 1:0 victory against the Chipolopolo boys.

    “I still believe that we are with all due respect to other teams, the strongest team in the tournament but it’s not about how strong you are but it’s about what you put on the field of play, and it’s all about results.” – Micho, Zambian Coach.

    Finally Zambia recorded their first win in the tournament when the played against the Botswanan Zebras on July 13th.

    Once again, it was Justin Shonga who gave the Chipolopolo boys the lead in the 21st minute. In the 2nd half, the Zebras leveled when Thatayaone Kgamanyane scored in the 62nd minute. However, it was a penalty shot by Shonga in the 83rd minute that put Zambia back into the lead and gave them their first victory.

    Zambia need a win when they meet Group A leaders South Africa to secure their spot in the Semi Finals.

    Justin Shonga – MOTM against Botswana

    Photo Credits – Cosafa Media

  • Goalless draw for Mozambique & Zimbabwe as Guest Nation Senegal lose 2:1 to Namibia on day 2 of the COSAFA Cup 2021.

    Cosafa’s most successful team, Zimbabwe started off the tournament with a goalless draw against Mozambique at the Wolfson stadium and seemingly had a better day at the office than their opponents.

    Mozambique had early opportunities to score but was denied by the Zimbabwean Goalkeeper Arubi. The Mozambicans maintained a high pressed strategy and defensively blocked Zimbabwe from getting a goal from the chances they equally created.

    In the second match of the day, Namibia put up an impressive performance against Senegal who came to the tournament with the intention of taking the trophy back home to West Africa.

    The Namibians had an early lead in the 14th minute when Marcel Papama scored but short lived as Diene equalised for Senegal in the 17th minute.

    It was the header by Elmo Kambindu 5 minutes into the 2nd half that decided the fate of the match as the Namibians defended their lead until stoppage time.

    MOTM – Elmo Kambindu

    Photo Credits – Cosafa Media

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