Full-Time Scores From Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium,
Olympique de Moroni (Com) 0-4 Green Buffaloes (Zam) (Ireen Lungu 30′, 62′, 69′ pen, Natasha Nanyangwe 58′)
GREEN Buffaloes Women Football Club has booked a place in the final of the 2022 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Champions League | CAF Qualifiers currently ongoing in South Africa after thrashing debutants Olympique De Moroni of Comoros 4-nil in their second match in this tournament.
The win means Buffaloes will finish top of Group B with 6 points and they have maintained a 100% winning record.
Coach Charles Haluboono made two changes to the starting line up that defeated Young Buffaloes of Eswatini 4-0 in the first match with Memory Nthala replacing Theresa Chewe while Anita Mulenga took over from Agness Musase but unfortunately Mulenga was substituted in the opening 10 minutes and was yet again replaced by Musase following an injury.
Ireen Lungu who was also voted as player of the match and walked away with the match ball was the hero for the day scoring the first hattrick of the tournament to go top of the goalscorers chart with 5 goals while Natasha Nanyangwe also added her name on the scoresheet.
Copper Queens mesmerizing midfielder Ireen Lungu opened the scores for Buffaloes just at the half hour mark after being well set-up by Hellen Chanda in the box and her goal was the difference in the first half.
After the resumption, Buffaloes came back with more firepower and pushed for more goals and it did not take longer as Natasha Nanyangwe added the second goal for Buffaloes with a fine finish inside the 18-yard box in the 58th minute off an assist from Memory ‘The Landlord’ Nthala before Ireen Lungu completed her brace 4 minutes later after another brilliant assist from Nthala to make it 3-nil to Buffaloes.
Lungu was at it yet again grabbing her hat-trick making it 4-nil converting from the penalty spot to finish off a 3-goals galore in a space of 10 minutes for unstoppable Buffaloes as De Moroni played the last 20 minutes with a player down after Andrianandrasana was sent off for deliberately handling the ball in the box which gifted Buffaloes a penalty.
Hellen Chanda and substitute Theresa Chewe had their own share of opportunities but unfortunately they were not too clinical in front of goal.
Coach Haluboono also gave opportunities to Diana Banda, Lucy Kajiya and Regina Kayamboma who was making her debut for Buffaloes on loan from Mufulira Wanderers for Maylan Mulenga, Hellen Chanda and Memory Nthala respectively.
This result means that Zambian giants Buffaloes are through to Saturday’s final set for Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium and they will face the winners of Group A with either hosts Mamelodi Sundowns or Double Action of Botswana who need a victory of more than 8 goals against Costol De Sol of Mozambique in their last match to stand a chance of qualifying to the final while second-placed teams from both groups will battle it out in the 3rd and 4th Play-Off match.
COSAFA region is guaranteed two slots at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League to be held in Morocco later this year from October 30 – November 13 with defending Champions Mamelodi Sundowns already confirmed for the championship as defending Champions and will be joined by either the winners or runner’s up provided Sundowns won’t defend the COSAFA Championship.
Theresa Chewe and Hellen Chanda need more composure in front of goal and Buffaloes will come riding that plane with a trophy for their General and our FAZ President.
Because as it is they are guaranteed Silver. If the 2 girls compose themselves in attack then the Gold Medal will come through.
Go Babez fight and conquer