Defending champions, Scorchers, yesterday put up a scrappy show by their lofty standards when they were held to a one-all draw by Botswana’s Moras in their opening 2024 Cosafa Women’s Championship match in Gqeberha, South Africa.
Malawi, who were playing their first match after a year, looked out of sorts for the better part of the match and trooped off the Wolfson Stadium pitch with plenty of food for thought ahead of their next Group B match against Madagascar on Saturday.
However, in a post-match interview monitored on SuperSport Television, Scorchers coach Lovemore Fazili said there was no reason to press the panic button.
Responding to a question from a SuperSport journalist on whether he was worried that Madagascar top the four-team group following their 5-1 triumph over Mauritius, the Scorchers gaffer, sounding ice-cool, said: “No! We don’t have any pressure. Not at all. If anything, this was the match that was giving us some headache.
“As for [our next opponents] Madagascar and Mauritius, we know how to handle them.”
He, however, conceded that it was a tough match, citing the striking force as the weakest link, saying they would go back to the drawing board.
“The game was tough, so I would say 1-1 is not a bad result for us,” said Fazili, who boldly declared that they will qualify for the semis or the final.
He also hopes that Democratic Republic of Congo-based forward Sabina Thom, who missed yesterday’s match as she was in transit and was expected to arrive in the Rainbow Nation last evening, will reinforce the striking force.
In a match that simmered without really reaching the boil, the champions drew first blood in the 27th minute through player-of-the-match Faith Chimzimu with a low shot from outside the 18-yeard box after the Tswanas had failed to clear into safety a well-curled corner kick.
The Moras pulled level in the 39h minute when Lesego Radiakanyo found a fruitful avenue on the left flank before whipping the ball into the goal area and on pounced Laone Maloi to strike the ball past Malawi’s goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo.
At the interval, Fazili pulled out the foreign-based striking duo of Mary Chavinda and Vanessa Chikupila for Catherine Kachala and Chisomo Banda, respectively, in a bid to add more fire-power in attack.
Later on, he also took out Caroline Mathyola for Sara Mlimbika, but Botswana displayed strong will to hold on to their nerve.
Botswana came into the second half more confident and enjoyed 52 percent ball possession although overall, it was 50-50 having trailed by the same percentage in the first stanza.
Botswana coach Alex Malele described it as a difficult match.
“In the first half, they [Malawi] couldn’t allow us to build up attacks. Of course, we had chances in both halves, but we couldn’t score. So, we take a point and look forward to the next games,” he said.
