By MK

The Scorchers bowed out of the 2024 Cosafa Women’s Championship following a 0-2 loss to Zambia on Thursday in the Semi final.

This was a repeat of the 2023 finals when Malawi clinched the maiden silverware following a 2-1 victory.

It was more than sharing the borders as both sides fielded five players that featured in the last encounter.

Zambia were the first to settle in the game forcing Malawi to defend but that was easier to deal with as Lovemore Fazili had employed a defending formation playing 5-4-1.

Regardless of the pressure from the Copper Queens there was no clear cut chance in a better part of the first 45 minutes.
The Scorchers had a glimpse of a chance to break the deadlock but Asimenye Simwaka’s idea of slotting it in the far post was missed by a whisker.

At recess it was goalless. In the second half Zambia utilised the defensive blunder to take the lead in the very first minute of the security half.

Minutes later the Copper Queens were gifted another golden opportunity from a goalkeeping error that they equally exploited.

Despite the changes that Fazili made, it was not enough for the defending Champions to go past the Zambian defence.

Speaking after the exit Fazili said the easy goals made things difficult.
“We had a very good first half that we managed to hold Zambia but unfortunately at the start of the second half our lapses in defence cost us. We were not supposed to concede such goals,” he said.

The Scorchers scored 11 goals and conceded 3 in the four games that they have played compared to the 19 goals scored and 6 conceded in the 5 matches that they played in 2023 season.