Zambia have been crowned winners of the COSAFA Under-20 Women’s Championship after a 1-0 victory over Mozambique on Saturday gave them an unassailable lead at the top of the table.
Zangose Zulu scored the only goal at the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus to hand the Young Copper Queens the title with 12 points from four matches.
They scored 19 goals and conceded none in a dominant display.No-one can catch them at the top, though the result also means South Africa will take second place, even if they lose to Botswana in their final match on Sunday (3:00 p.m. CAT, 1:00 p.m. GMT).
Mozambique could then draw level on six points with a win over Lesotho in the earlier game at 12:00 CAT, but South Africa would still be ahead of them on the head-to-head rule after a 4-0 win over their rivals in their opener.
Zambia entered their final match on Saturday with the championship within their grasp, needing only a draw to secure the crown.Both teams pushed forward in the early stages, creating a high-tempo contest.
However, Zambia faced an early setback as Jessy Zulu was stretched off in the 11th minute due to injury, prompting the introduction of Ruth Muwowo, who is the joint leader in the race for the Golden Boot with four goals.
Despite this disruption, Zambia continued to assert their authority and their persistence paid off in the 31st minute when Zangose Zulu had a tap-in to give them a 1-0 lead.Mozambique’s goalkeeper Graça Machengo played a pivotal role in keeping the scoreline the same with a spectacular save in the 43rd minute.
Zambia kicked off the second half, determined to extend their advantage.Both teams maintained their attacking mindset, but the Young Copper Queens controlled possession and continued to press Mozambique’s defense, though there were no further goals.
Zambia’s Saliya Mwanza was awarded Player of the Match for the third time in four games in the tournament, highlighting her consistent excellence throughout the campaign.
Lesotho and Botswana played to a 1-1 draw in the second game of the day.Botswana took an early lead in the first minute through captain Jessica Modise, her second goal of the competition.
But Lesotho scored their first goal in Johannesburg when Mahali Sepirit equalized with a header just past the half-hour mark.
They will now both hope to avoid the wooden spoon on Sunday. Teams earn three points for a win and one for a draw, with the side that collects the most points after their four games the victor.
