Banyana Banyana cruised into the COSAFA Women’s Cup semifinals with a commanding 3-0 victory over Eswatini at the Isaac Wolfson Stadium on Friday. The youthful South African team, sponsored by Sasol, put on a solid performance as they secured their second win in the tournament, moving them to the top of Group A.
The South Africans faced some initial resistance as Eswatini attempted to disrupt their play with long-range shots early on.
However, the hosts quickly found their rhythm, taking control of the game around the 10-minute mark and holding Eswatini in check for much of the match.
Nobahle Mdelwa opened the scoring shortly before halftime, capitalizing on an assist from Ayesha Moosa to give Banyana Banyana a 1-0 lead.
Just after the break, goalkeeper Jessica Williams provided a memorable moment, launching a stunning free kick into the net, sending the home crowd into cheers and doubling South Africa’s lead.
Ayesha Moosa later put the game out of reach with a well-taken goal just before the final whistle, sealing a 3-0 victory.
In a decisive earlier match, Namibia’s Brave Gladiators outclassed Seychelles with an emphatic 7-0 win.
Fiola Vleite starred in that fixture, netting a hat-trick to keep Namibia’s knockout hopes alive.
Additional goals came from Twelikondjele Amukoto, Irene Kooper—who scored twice—and captain Zenatha Coleman, who contributed both two assists and a goal of her own.
Namibia entered the match with a critical need for a high-margin win after falling 1-0 to South Africa in their opening game.
For debutants Seychelles, the match marked their second heavy loss of the tournament, leaving them with a total of 13 goals conceded across two games and effectively eliminating their chances for progression in Gqeberha.
The COSAFA Women’s Cup action continues on Day Five, as Group B fixtures resume at the Madibaz Stadium.
Botswana will face Mauritius at 12:00 CAT, while Malawi and Madagascar are set to play at 15:00 CAT, with all teams eager to make their mark and move closer to the semifinal stage.
With South Africa now firmly in the semifinals and their young players stepping up, Banyana Banyana look ready to continue their impressive run and challenge for the title.
The remaining group matches will determine which other teams can join them in the next stage, with the tournament building excitement as it heads toward the final rounds.
