University of the Western Cape (UWC) defeated Herentals Queens 2-1 on Monday as both Group A teams progressed to the semifinals of the CAF Women’s Champions League l Cosafa Qualifiers in Malawi.

UWC finished on top of the group on head-to-head whereas Herentals Queens descended to second place.

The result effectively eliminated FC Ongos who had earlier handed Green Buffaloes a 2-1 defeat in an early kick-off at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.

In the final game of the day, Noxolo Cesane’s 46th-minute goal and Bongeka Gamede strike 14 minutes later for UWC sealed the win. Alice Moyo scored a consolation for the Zimbabweans.

The first half had ended goalless before the proceedings came to life in the second half.

UWC started the second half in fashion, going ahead barely after a minute when Noxolo Malinga sneaked in a shot into the net after catching Herentals Queens’ defence sleeping in a swift pass-and- support move.

Some 14 minutes later, Gamede added the second goal for the South Africans after she found space at the near-post to place the ball into the net after a corner-kick from the left had caused mayhem in the box.

Moyo pulled one back for the Zimbabweans in spectacular fashion, turning 360 degrees with her left leg then opening her body  to dispatch a terrific strike into the roof of keeper Dlamini’s net.

In the first encounter of the day, FC Ongos’ two first-half goals handed fancied Green Buffaloes a second consecutive defeat thereby denying the Zambians an automatic semifinals’ slot.

It was a matter of the Namibian side, which Zambian Agnus Elemu coaches, exiting the qualifiers on a high after back-to-back 3-0 and 3-1 losses to UWC and Herentals Queens.

Playing before a few fans at the 6,000-seater stadium, midfielder Beverly Uueziua put the Namibians ahead with a 24th-minute right-foot stunner from the left, before Twelikondjele Amukoto added the second goal in the 39th minute.

Amukondo made the most of a long bouncing ball, which tinkering Buffaloes defenders failed to tame, to sneak a loose ball past exposed goalkeeper Aisha Mbwana.

The first half ended in favour of the Namibians and there was no doubt that a response was expected from the 2022 champions from Zambia.

That response came in the 63rd minute when substitute Vanessa Chikupila, who is a Malawian, weaved her way on the right then cut inside to net the consolation for the Zambians.

Coach Carol Kanyemba demanded more goals from her charges but Ongos held their nerves to the end of the match to leave the group at the mercy of the second match of the afternoon between UWC and Herentals Queens.

FC Ongos finished bottom of the group with three points at par with Green Buffaloes, who had started the qualifiers with a 1-0 win over UWC only for Herentals Queens to peg them back with a 1-0 defeat.

Ahead of the first match, coach Kanyemba had dropped striker Chikupila, midfielders Maweta Chilenga, Lubasi Pumula and defender Esther Banda in preference of Agness Phiri, Diana Banda, Mokgabo Thanda and Pauline Zulu.

In the opposite camp, Elemu elected to start with midfielders Elmarie Fredericks and Ivone Kooper at the expense of Julia Blou and Judith Rutjindo. Such changes proved a masterstroke for the Namibians.

The next game saw leaders Herentals Queens facing UWC at the same venue while hoping to secure the top two slots from the pool.

Group assignments conclude on Tuesday when Young Buffaloes face Group B leaders UD Lichinga in a noon kick-off whereas Gaborone United face Ascent Academy.

Lichinga (four points), Ascent (three points), United (two points) and Buffaloes (one point) have a chance to qualify for the semifinals.

Top two teams from the group will join the best two from Group A in the semifinals.

The overall winner of the 10-day tournament will book a place at the CAF Women’s Champions League’s continental finals, joining Mamelodi Sundowns who did not participate in the qualifiers as they had already secured their finals’ slot by virtue of being African champions.

Entrance for fans to all matches in Blantyre will be FREE of charge. You can view all of the fixtures here.

If you cannot get to the stadium, you can watch all matches streamed LIVE on FIFA+.

MONDAY’S RESULTS
Group A
FC Ongos 2 (Uueziua 24′, Amukoto 39′) Green Buffaloes 1 (Chikupila 63′)

University of the Western Cape 2 (Cesane 46’, Gamede 60’) Herentals Queens 1 (Moyo 81’)

TUESDAY’S FIXTURES
Group B
Young Buffaloes vs UD de Lichinga (KO 12h00; 10h00 GMT)

Gaborone United vs Ascent Academy (KO 15h00; 13h00 GMT)