University of the Western Cape (UWC) opened their 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA qualifiers with a 1-0 loss to Green Buffaloes of Zambia at the Mpira stadium in Malawi on Thursday afternoon.
This is the South African side’s maiden appearance at the qualifiers after qualifying as runners-up from the Hollywoodbets Super League last term with champions Mamelodi Sundowns already qualified for the continental finals by virtue of being African champions.
UWC survived an early scare in the 11th minute when Vanessa Chikupila shot from the right but met Fikile Magama who made a clearance at the goal mouth to deny her a goal.
The half further saw the duel between the mentioned players intensify with the Malawi international threatening again in the 18th and 38th minutes and again denied by Magama. Four minutes to the break UWC had a chance through Philisa Mjambane, who however shot over the bar.
The second half saw UWC with some urgency in trying to break the deadlock. They won a corner six minutes into the stanza. Sibulele Holweni stepped up but nothing came off it. Nondumiso Manengela had a clear shot at goal in the 56th minute but that was easily dealt with by the Buffaloes’s goalkeeper Aisha Mbwana.
Manengela had another shot from range that forced Mbwana to come out and make a save in the 68th minute. With 15 minutes left to go the Zambian side won a corner. Agnes Phiri’s kick found Natasha Nanyangwe who headed home to hand Carol Kanyemba’s side the lead and eventual winner.
Thinasonke Mbuli’s charges had an opportunity to equalise in the 82nd minute but were denied by Mbwana, while UWC missed another massive chance just three minutes from time.
The result sees the Blues in third position in Group A with no point behind the 2022 COSAFA champions, who are joint at the top with Herenatals Queens of Zimbabwe after they defeated FC Ongos Ladies 3-1 in an earlier kick-off.
UWC’s next game is against Ongos on Saturday afternoon, where they will have a chance to register some points as only the top two sides in the two groups at the tournament will advance to the semi-finals.
