Double delight for Barbra Banda as Copper Queens sweep COSAFA individual awards

African football icon Barbra Banda claimed two awards at the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Championship as Zambia edged South Africa to claim maiden COSAFA Women’s Championship title.

The 23 year old livewire who has been in scintillating in the South Africa walked away with the golden boit award and golden ball.

The Copper Queens skipper  has been banging in goals for fun scoring in all five of the Copper Queens games at the tournament. 

Having missed Zambia’s impressive WAFCON run in Morocco, Banda has returned to international football with a bang.

Banda netted a beautiful header in extra time as the Copper Queens clinched gold in Port Elizabeth. The goal was the Shanghai Shengli player’s 10th of the tournament. 

Banda opened her Cosafa account with a brace against Namibia in the opening fixture before hitting 5 goals in the 7-0 demolishing of Lesotho.

She then grabbed a goal each in Zambia’s win over Eswatini and Tanzania to take her tally for the tournament to 9 goals.

Banda was also handed the golden ball for the best player of the tournament to complete her awards double. 

The Golden Glove for best goalkeeper went to Zambia stopper Catherine Musonda, while Tanzania claimed the Fair Play award.

GOALSCORERS

10 goals – Barbra Banda (Zambia)

5 – Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse (Botswana)

4 – Lithemba Sam-Sam (South Africa)

3 – Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi), Boitumelo Rabale (Lesotho)

2 – Zenatha Coleman (Namibia), Cidalia Cuta (Mozambique), Ivone Kooper (Namibia) Enekia Lunyamila (Tanzania), Sara Luvunga (Angola), Refilwe Maseko (South Africa), Donisia Minja (Tanzania), Wezzie Mvula (Malawi), Memory Ngonda (Namibia), Sphumelele Shamase (South Africa)

1 – Christer Bahera (Tanzania), Fazila Chembekezo (Malawi), Teresa Evaristo (Angola), Deolinda Gove (Mozambique), Rose Kadzere (Malawi), Veweziwa Kotjipati (Namibia), Evarine Katongo (Zambia), Isobel Jorge (Mozambique), Cristina Makua (Angola), Cina Manuel (Mozambique), Siomala Mapepa (Zambia), Tshegofatso Mosotho (Botswana), Diana Msewa (Tanzania), Sisanda Ndzinisa (Eswatini), Eneless Phiri (Zambia), Lesego Radiakanyo (Botswana), Michelle Sampson (South Africa), Asimenye Simwaka (Malawi), Lonica Tsanwane (Mozambique), Opa Tukumbuke (Tanzania), Misozi Zulu (Zambia)

Own goal – Elsa Dadard (Mauritius), Aisha Mnunka (Tanzania), Lushomo Mweemba (Zambia), Emma Naris (Namibia)