Five goals were scored in the opening match of the 2019 women’s Cosafa Cup as Zimbabwe defeated Angola 4-1 at Wolfson Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Emmaculate Msipa opened the scoring for the former champions in the second minute while Rudo Neshamba completed a hattrick netting twice in the opening stanza (19th and 45th ) and just before the hour mark.
Angola’s consolation came in extra time of the first half courtesy of Christina Makua.
The winning coach Sithethelelwe Sibanda hopes the victory does not go to her players’ heads.
The coach has congratulated Neshamba for her hat-trick, saying there is no pressure on the winger.
Sibanda hopes this will help grow Neshamba’s confidence to score more in the coming matches in Group C.
The losing coach Lurdes Lutonda, speaking through an interpreter, was graceful in defeat.
As much as they were under attack most of the match, Angola had attempts to get back into the game.
Lutonda says they will do their homework in the next fixtures.
– Report by Lethabo Kganyago
