South African’s Mamelodi Sundowns defeated ZESCO Ndola Girls 2-1 in the final of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier in Gaborone on Saturday to claim a third regional title and book their place at the continental finals. Two goals from Golden Boot winner Refilwe Tholakele, one from the penalty spot, sealed the victory as Sundowns added to their 2021 and 2023 regional titles.
On both of those previous occasions, they went on to win the continental crown. Charity Mubanga had levelled for ZESCO on the stroke of halftime, but when Sundowns were awarded a penalty in the second half, Tholakele made no mistake from the spot.
It was a tight final and more heartbreak for ZESCO, who lost the decider for the second year in a row, having gone down on penalties to Gaborone United in 2025.
They had been hoping to make a first appearance at the continental finals, which will be played later this year. Sundowns went through the competition unbeaten, scoring 22 goals and conceding only twice in their five matches, underlining their dominance on their return to the regional summit.
Earlier, hosts Gaborone United finished third after a thumping 4-0 win over Silver Strikers of Malawi in the bronze-medal match. Maungo Maponga and Yaone Modise scored a brace each, though it took the hosts an hour to break the deadlock.
Sundowns full-back Karabo Dhlamini won the Player of the Tournament prize, to go with Tholakele’s Golden Boot award.Sundowns made it a clean sweep of the individual prizes as Andile Dlamini took home the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper.
ZESCO Ndola Girls won the Fair Play award.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
Third-Place Play-Off
Silver Strikers 0 Gaborone United 4 (Maponga 60′, 83’pen, Modise 74′, 88′)
Final
ZESCO Ndola Girls 1 (Mubanga 45’) Mamelodi Sundowns 2 (Tholakele 2’, 64’pen)
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 16
Goals scored: 59
Biggest victory: Mamelodi Sundowns 8 Nsingizini Hotspurs 0 (Group B, August 21)
Most goals in a game: 8 – Mamelodi Sundowns 8 Nsingizini Hotspurs 0 (Group B,
August 21)
GOALSCORERS
7 goals – Refilwe Tholakele (Mamelodi Sundowns)
5 – Charity Mubanga (ZESCO Ndola Girls)
4 – Lucia Moçambique (Costa do Sol), Carolyne Mathyola (Silver Strikers)
3 – Lelona Daweti (Mamelodi Sundowns), Isabella Ludwig (Mamelodi Sundowns),
Eneless Phiri (ZESCO Ndola Girls)
2 – Karabo Dhlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns), Lucia Gaonwe (Nsingizini Hotspurs),
Grace Kakangula (Silver Strikers), Maungo Maponga (Gaborone United), Yaone
Modise (Gaborone United), Penelope Mulubwa (ZESCO Ndola Girls), Wendy
Shongwe (Mamelodi Sundowns)
1 – Gladys Banda (Silver Strikers), Natasha Benza (Herentals Queens), Avell Chitundu
(ZESCO Ndola Girls), Ronnel Donnelly (Mamelodi Sundowns), Nadia Farranguana (Costa do Sol), Catherine Gwangwara (Herentals Queens), Asanda Hadebe (Mamelodi Sundowns), Melinda Kgadiete (Mamelodi Sundowns), Ireen Khumalo (Silver Strikers), Nonhlanhla Mthandi (Mamelodi Sundowns), Sandra Mugwara(Mamelodi Sundowns), Dee Mapuwa (Herentals Queens), Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse (Gaborone United Ladies), Tlamelo Pheresi (Lesotho Defence Force), LesegoRadiakanyo (Gaborone United Ladies), Goitsemang Tlamma (Gaborone United Ladies)
