Copper Princesses secure final slot after seeing off Namibia
The Zambia U-17 national team on Sunday morning booked their place in the final of the 2021 COSAFA U17 Girls Championship at the ongoing Region V Games following a 2-0 win over Namibia.
Coach Kaluba Kangwa made two changes to the team that beat Botswana on Thursday. Gracious Tailoshi started ahead of Josephine Phiri while Luty Kamanga was rested for Mutinta Hatembo.
The Copper Princesses dominated the match from the word go and put Namibia on the back foot immediately.
The pressure finally paid off in the 11th minute as skipper Lubasi Pumulo combined with Blessings Zangose Zulu to put Zambia in the lead with Zulu slotting home from close range scoring her first goal of the tournament.
It was almost one way traffic as Lubasi pulled strings in the middle while Zangose troubled on the left wing and Jessy Zulu was a menace for the Namibia defense.
Gracious Tailoshi then produced a moment of magic as she caught Tjikarerera Uumburu offguard with a sublime strike after seeing her move off her line doubling the lead in the 32nd minute.
Zambia comfortably controlled the match in the second stanza but could not find the back of the net with Jessy Zulu and Blessings coming close.
Substitute, Tefeoga Munene hit the post with a beautiful header following a corner, the ball came back to Lubasi who somehow ballooned the shot over the bar for arguably her only wrongdoing in the match that she personally controlled and dictated.
The two goals were enough though as the Copper Princesses marched on to the final to set up a meeting with either Botswana or Namibia depending on the result of their match this evening. The final will take place tomorrow.
Skipper Lubasi Pumulo was named as the player of the match.
COSAFA U17 Girls Championship 2021
Full Time
Namibia 0-2 Zambia
(Blessings Zangose Zulu 11′, Gracious Tailoshi 32′)
Zambia XI Vs Namibia
Chitete Musanka 16 (Shanice Kolala 90′), Monica Mutisa 2, Roydah Ngandu 3 (Tefeoga Munene 52′), Mutinta Hatembo 6, Lucy Kajiya 7 (Josephine Phiri 52′) , Gracious Tailoshi 10, Blessing Zulu 11, Esther Musialela 12, Theresa Musatila 13, Jessy Zulu 14 (Bertha Kabota 90′), Lubasi Pumulo © 20
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Luty Kamanga 4, Doris Musonko 5,