Defending champions Gaborone United Ladies and ZESCO Ndola Girls have secured their places in the semi-finals of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier Botswana 2026 after Group A wins at the Gaborone United Stadium on Saturday night.
Both teams have six points from their two matches, with ZESCO leading the pool on goal difference ahead of their meeting with Gaborone on Monday, which will be a straight shoot-out for top spot.
Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens and Lesotho Defence Force are out of contention for a place in the semi-finals but can earn their first points when they meet in their final pool fixture.
Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse gave Gaborone the lead in their 1-0 win over Queens as she latched onto a superb cross from the left and side-footed the ball into the back of the net after 18 minutes.
It extends her tournament record to 12 goals, making her the most prolific player in the six-year history of the regional championship. Four of those goals came in the colours of Double Action Ladies and eight for Gaborone.
There were no more goals after that, but the home side did enough to secure the win and progress to the last four.
Last year’s beaten finalists ZESCO maintained their perfect start to the campaign with a 1-0 victory over Lesotho Defence Force.They were made to work for the three points by a determined LDF side, but found the breakthrough they needed and protected their advantage to make it two wins from two in the competition.
Eneless Phiri scored the winning goal on the stroke of halftime with a brilliant run and finish as she burst through the LDF defence for her third goal of the competition.
ZESCO had opened their campaign with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens on Thursday, when Phiri and Charity Mubanga scored twice each and Penelope Mulubwa was also on target.
This was a tighter contest, but the Zambian champions again showed why they are among the leading contenders for the crown as they added a clean sheet to their impressive start.
Sunday preview
Group B returns to centre stage at the Gaborone United Stadium on Sunday with two fixtures as the battle for semi-final places begins to take shape.
Nsingizini Hotspurs of Eswatini face Mozambique’s Costa do Sol at 16h00 local time (14h00 GMT), with both sides looking for their first points after opening-day defeats.
Tournament debutants Nsingizini endured a difficult introduction as they were beaten 8-0 by two-time regional champions Mamelodi Sundowns, while Costa do Sol will feel they let an opportunity slip after taking the lead inside 24 seconds against Silver Strikers before going down 2-1.
Costa do Sol have plenty of experience in this competition, having finished third in 2023 and reached the semi-finals last year, and will be desperate to get their campaign back on track.
The second game at 19h00 (17h00 GMT) brings together the two opening-round winners as Sundowns face Malawi’s Silver Strikers.
Sundowns were in devastating form against Nsingizini, with Lelona Daweti and Refilwe Tholakele both scoring hat-tricks, and another victory would put them in a commanding position.
Silver Strikers showed resilience on debut by coming from behind against Costa do Sol, with Ireen Khumalo and Grace Kakangula on target.
All games will be streamed live on FIFA+ and COSAFA’s YouTube Channel to a global audience.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Group A
Lesotho Defence Force 0 ZESCO Ndola Girls 1 (E. Phiri 45’)
Gaborone United 1 (Ontlametse 18’) Herentals Queens 0
SUNDAY’S FIXTURES (both Gaborone United Stadium)
Group B
Nsingizini Hotspurs vs Costa do Sol (KO 16h00; 14h00 GMT)
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Silver Strikers (KO 19h00; 17h00 GMT)
