ZESCO Ndola Girls concluded their group games with a 5-3 win over Malawian side Ntopwa FC at the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers.
The Zambian Champions cruised to a five nil lead before a late charge from Ntopwa gave the match a nerve wrecking – edge of the seat ending with three late goals.
Skipper Avell Chitundu put Zegalicious Girls in the lead just eight minutes into the match with a close range finish after a brilliant ball from Judith Soko.
Zegalicious Girls dominated the match and were pushing for a second goal but Penelope Mulubwa’s strike was ruled for off-side.
But they could not be kept out for long as Eneless Phiri doubled the lead just before halftime.
In the second half, Zegalicious Girls picked up where they left off, Substitute Charity Mubanga with a close range finish just three minutes after the restart.
Four minutes after the hour mark, Mila Malambo scored a stunner to increase the lead, her first goal for ZESCO Ndola Girls.
Eneless Phiri then went past four defenders before unleashing a ferocious strike to make it 5-0.
NTOPWA LATE CHARGE
The Malawian side found some renewed energy and got three goals within a stretch of 15 minutes.
Rose Alufandika pulled one in the 81st minute heading in from a corner. Kondawo Banda then produced a fantastic strike beating Hazel Nali to reduce the deficit even further.
The drama was not yet over as Jessie Yosefe broke free in the final minute of additional time to slot home with ease, 5-3 the match ended.
Eneless Phiri was named as the player of the match for her outstanding performance in the match.
ZESCO Ndola Girls will now wait for tomorrow’s fixture to learn their fate if they will pull through to the last four.
Gaborone United, leading Group B on head-to-head despite being level on points with Young Buffaloes, face Kick4Life in a crucial clash (kick-off 12h00 CAT, 10h00 GMT).
The Botswana side’s 1-0 victory in their opener showcased their defensive solidity, and they’ll aim to maintain that edge. Kick4Life, however, are desperate for points after a 3-1 loss to Young Buffaloes left them at the bottom with a -2 goal difference.
If Kick4Life can pull off a win, they could yet finish top of the pool with all three sides on three points and the final standings coming down to goal-difference or goals scored.
Herentals Queens, still pointless after a 2-0 loss to Costa do Sol, face Olympic de Moroni, who earned a draw in their opening match.
The Zimbabwean side’s struggle to find the net puts pressure on their attack to deliver against a Comoros team that showed resilience in a 2-2 stalemate with the Mozambican outfit.
Olympic’s balanced approach gives them a slight edge, but Herentals’ desperation for a win could fuel an aggressive approach.
This match is pivotal for both teams’ knockout stage hopes, with Olympic likely to exploit any defensive errors from Herentals, who must convert chances to climb off the bottom of Group C.
If Olympic beat Herentals, both they and Costa do Sol will advance as the top side in Group C and the best runner-up.
CAF Women’s Champions League|COSAFA Qualifiers
FULTIME
ZESCO Ndola Girls 5-3 Ntopwa FC
(Avell Chitundu 8′, Eneless Phiri 44′, 78′, Charity Mubanga 48′, Mila Milambo 64’| Rose Alufandika 81′, Kondawo Banda 90’, Jessie Yosefe 90+5’ )
