Mares hold Scorchers
Malawi Scorchers started the Women Cosafa Championship campaign with a 1-1 draw against Botswana yesterday.
In a match, monitoted on SuperSport Television Channel, they took the lead in the seventh minute when Wezzie Mvula headed in at the back post from Ruth Nyirongo’s pinpoint cross.
However, the celebration was shortlived as Botswana equalised in the 14th minute when Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse turned smartly in the box and her shot slipped past Scorchers goalkeeper Ruth Mhango.
The Scorchers should blame themselves for failing to utilise many scoring opportunities with Italy-based captain Tabitha Chawinga a peripheral figure despite winning the player of the match.
In a post-match interview, coach Lovemore Fazili rued many scoring chances the team wasted.
He said: “The game was good on our side. It’s very unfortunate that we did not win the match. We wasted many chances, but in football if you miss a lot of chances you get punished.
“We started on a high note and I am not disappointed we kept on pushing Botswana. We expected a lot from Chawinga but she did not use her experience.”
Fazili also blamed the referee for letting Botswana go scot-free for their delaying tactics through faking injuries.
“Somehow my players were demoralised by the referee. Our opponents employed a tactical move to be falling down,” he said.
In another group C match, Tanzania got the defence of their campaign off to a positive start with a 3-0 victory over Comoros,.
Tanzania played the Scorchers in the final last year which they won 1-0.
Malawi face Comoros on Monday and wind up the Group C matches with Tanzania on Wednesday.
It was just three years ago that Comoros conceded 35 goals across their three pool games at the Cosafa Women’s Championship, but they look a much more composed and organised side this year and gave the Twiga Stars a run for their money.
Donisia Minja put the East African guest nation ahead on 14 minutes with an effort from the edge of the six-yard box, before Enekia Lunyamila fired in a superb shot to make it 2-0.
That goal was scored with her right foot, but she added a second with her left as he drilled the ball home from a tight angle on 51 minutes.
The action returns to Group A today when hosts South Africa look to make it back-to-back wins when they take on Mauritius.
The youthful Banyana Banyana eased past Angola 3-0 in their opener, while Mauritius were beaten 5-0 by Mozambique.
