7 June 2019 – South Africa collected the Plate competition for the third year in a row after a 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory over Malawi, who were playing their sixth match in 13 days.
The game, which took place on Friday night (7 June 219), finished goalless as both teams missed a host of chances, with the South Africans the most generous in front of goal.
They also struck the woodwork via a Kamohelo Mahlatsi header, and failed to find the target on numerous occasions when well-placed to shoot.
Goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto made some good stops in the game and also saved a penalty from Malawi captain John Banda in the shoot-out as the home side triumphed following three draws in the competition that all needed penalties to decide them.
Zimbabwe collected the bronze medal at the 2019 COSAFA Cup with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory over Lesotho after the teams had been locked at 2-2 in an entertaining clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The Warriors collect their first ever bronze medal in the tournament, scoring all of their penalties in the shoot-out, while the unlucky Tsoarelo Bereng missed for Lesotho.
Zimbabwe were missing many of their leading players, who had flown out for a friendly international against Nigeria in Lagos on Thursday, but still had enough in reserve to deny the Crocodiles.
Zimbabwe grabbed an early lead when Tafadzwa Rusike managed to beat Lesotho goalkeeper Thabiso Lichaba to the ball and poked it into the back of the net.
But Lesotho have shown fighting spirit throughout this tournament and found their equaliser just past the half-hour mark when Jane Thaba-Ntso provided a neat finish.
Hlompho Kalake missed a good chance to give Lesotho the lead on 55 minutes when he volleyed wide with the keeper rooted to the spot, and Zimbabwe went straight up the other end, only for Rodwell Chinyengetere to miss a one-on-one with Lichaba.
But it was the Warriors who scored next, as Leeroy Mavunga breezed through the Lesotho defence before producing a sublime finish on 61 minutes.
Lesotho, to their credit, kept fighting though and they levelled when halftime substitute Bereng scored from just outside the box, the bounce beating replacement Zimbabwe keeper Talbert Shumba.
Saturday (8 June) is the grand final where Zambia will seek to make up for the disappointment of losing the last to COSAFA Cup deciders in a row when they face-off against Botswana.
The Zebras are seeking their maiden title, and to become the sixth country to lift the title in all, but come up against a determined Chipolopolo outfit with star striker Lazarous Kambole leading the line.
This will be Zambia’s ninth COSAFA Cup final – joining Zimbabwe on the list of most final appearances in the competition.
But they have won just two and lost six of the previous eight appearances, as their other tournament wins, in 1997 and 1998, came when the competition was contested on a round-robin format with no finals.
Zambia have needed penalty shoot-outs for victory in each of their previous two games in the competition – both by 4-2 margins. They defeated Malawi (2-2) and old foes Zimbabwe (0-0) to reach the decider.
Botswana defeated hosts South Africa 5-4 in a shoot-out in their quarterfinal, before edging Lesotho 2-1 in the semifinals.
The winners of the final will take home R500,000 in prize-money, with the runners-up to receive R250,000.
FRIDAY’S RESULTS:
Plate Final
South Africa 0 Malawi 0 – After extra-time. South Africa won 5-4 on penalties
Cup Third-Place Play-Off
Lesotho 2 (Thaba-Ntso 33’, Bereng 68’) Zimbabwe 2 (T. Rusike 14’, Mavunga 61’) – Zimbabwe won 5-4 on penalties
SATURDAY’S FIXTURES:
Final
Botswana vs Zambia (KO 15h00; 13h00 GMT) – Moses Mabhida Stadium
TOURNAMENT STATS:
Matches Played: 19
Goals scored: 47
Biggest victory: Malawi 3 Seychelles 0 (Group B, May 26)
Most goals in a game: 4
Eswatini 2 Mauritius 2 (Group A, May 25);
Eswatini 2 Comoros 2 (Group A, May 27);
South Africa 2 Botswana 2 (Quarterfinals, June 2);
Zambia 2 Malawi 2 (Quarterfinals, June 2);
Lesotho 2 Zimbabwe 2 (Third-Place Play-Off, June 7)
GOALSCORERS:
3 goals – Gabadinho Mhango (Malawi), Ashley Nazira (Mauritius), Gerald Phiri Jnr (Malawi)
2 – Felix Badenhorst (Eswatini), Issaskar Gurirab (Namibia), Youssouf Ibroihim (Comoros), Richard Mbulu (Malawi), Luther Singh (South Africa)
1 – Tsoarelo Bereng (Lesotho), Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe),Segolame Boy (Botswana), Emmanuel Chabula (Zambia), Chikoti Chirwa (Malawi), Thatayaone Ditlhokwe (Botswana),Lebogang Ditsele (Botswana),Charles Hambira (Namibia),Soulaimana Ibouniyamine (Comoros), Jeituso (Mozambique), Hassan Kajoke (Malawi), Ali Nassim (Comoros), Absalom Iimbondi (Namibia), Joslin Kamatuka (Namibia), Siboniso Mamba (Eswatini), Grant Margeman (South Africa), Leeroy Mavunga (Zimbawe), Joel Mogorosi (Botswana), Sera Motebang (Lesotho), Austin Muwowo (Zambia), Sabelo Ndzinisa (Eswatini), Boina Bacar Raidou (Comoros), Evans Rusike (Zimbabwe), Tafadzwa Rusike (Zimbabwe), Dan Serunkuma (Uganda), Jane Thaba-Ntso (Lesotho), Sadney Urikhob (Namibia), Witi (Mozambique)