Match Day 2 of the 2021 Barbara Banda Foundation and BUSA Women’s Challenge Cup was characterized by comebacks and goals galore as a total of 9 goals were scored with 2 games that recorded a 4-goal thriller each ending in draws and Luyando Foundation picking up the much needed 3 points over Nkwazi Queens.
Group B action which was marred by emotions from both sides saw Lusaka Dynamos Ladies FC and YASA Queens battling to a 2-2 draw in an early Kick-Off match played at New Bauleni Community Stadium.
YASA Queens took the lead through Lillian Kunda with a header connecting well from a Melisa Mataba’s cross from a corner kick, Grace Tembo had other ideas as she pounced on a loose ball in the YASA box to grab an Equalizer for the Coach Enala Phiri Simbeye’s lasses to make it 1-1.
Moments later just before halftime, there was an altercation between Dynamos and YASA players that led to sending off Elizabeth Mupeso and Comfort Selemani for The Elite and Rosemary Nyirongo for YASA.
The second half continued from where the first left off from with both sides playing a cautious game bearing in mind the numerical disadvantage they had as that led to the change of the game plan and approach.
However, Towela Nkhata who was people’s favorite stole the party just in the early moments of the second half with a well-executed free-kick that ended up in the top right corner behind the back of the net leaving Edith Zimba in goal for YASA with no chance.
There was also another bad moment for YASA as Coach Honest was given matching holders by the referee after he uttered some remarks and his displeasure with some of the questionable calls by the match officials.
YASA started piling some pressure on the Elite Ladies and it finally paid off, Botswana Women’s National Team Midfielder Thanda Onneila Mogkabo equalized for towards the end of the match after lack of concentration by the Elite to make it 2-2 thanks to yet another assist from Melissa Mataba from a corner kick to make sure that the Helen Kaunda based side secure a point going into the next game against BUSA Queens.
Group A action continued from Crested Cranes Academy Grounds and in the early Kick-Off match saw Luyando Foundation Girls FC bouncing back to winning ways with a hard-fought victory over much-fancied group favorites Nkwazi Queens via a slender 1-nil win thanks to Mary Phiri with the only goal of the match.
In another Group A match played at New Bauleni Community Stadium, All-Stars failed to go top of the group after they were held to a 2-2 draw by stubborn Pataaki Girls who came back into the game from 2-nil down to force a Draw and keep their Semi-final hopes alive.
Pataaki Captain Pauline Zulu grabbed a brace in this match in the second half scoring the first goal outside the 18-yard box with a low shot before she converted the second goal from the spot-kick to take her goal tally to 3 in as many games as they have played in the tournament.
All-Stars found the back of the net through their in-form top goal scorer Ruth Daka and Abigail Mtonga but that wasn’t good enough as both goals were canceled by Pauline Zulu.
Today’s action will see two matches lined up on matchday 3, hosts BUSA Queens locking horns with YASA Queens this morning at 09:00hrs at Crested Cranes Academy Grounds while Lusaka Dynamos Ladies FC will aim to wrap up their group matches on a positive note and book a ticket in the Semi-final when they face Green Buffaloes at 11:00hrs from New Bauleni Community Stadium.
