Hat-trick by Magaia sends Banyana Banyana into Cosafa Women’s Championship final

Banyana Banyana striker Hilda Magaia scored a hat-trick to send the team into the final of the 2020 Cosafa Women’s Championship.

Banyana beat Malawi 6-2 at the Wolfson Stadium in Port Elizabeth. South Africa will face Botswana, who beat Zambia 2-1 in the earlier match.

Banyana Banyana Coach Desiree Ellis says she’s proud of the young squad.

“I’m so proud of this group of players. We brought a young group here, but I told them, you know, that they have to make their mark and I felt today they made their mark. We did not take control in the first half. When they went down to 10 but we couldn’t get into those spaces we went back into the dressing room and we said they’ve got one player short, let’s move the ball around, you know. And then we started putting the balls in the net and I’m so happy for Hilda, you know. She was saying coach I’m going to score.”

Player of the match. Hildah Magaia. ???????#Womensfootball #BanyanaBanyana #CWC2020 pic.twitter.com/Tn0FEWCyJN

— Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) November 12, 2020

It will be Botswana’s maiden appearance in the final of the regional tournament.

This regional showpiece had been postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.