Banyana Banyana lose 2023 COSAFA Championship Opener.

Staff Reporter.

Banyana-Banyana lost 4-3 to Malawi in their opening match of the 2023 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Championship in Pretoria on Wednesday afternoon.

With a number of players unavailable, Desiree Ellis had her hands full putting together a squad, and SAFA confirmed the final squad less than an hour before the kick off of South Africa’s first game.

The match comes just few days after South Africa played two friendlies against United States of America, losing the first match 3-0 before going down 2-0.

Scorchers took the lead in the 27th minute through Leticia Chinyamula but Banyana leveled the scores through Thubelihle Shamashe a minute before the end of the first half.

Scorchers captain Temwa Chawinga restored Malawi’s lead in a first half added time as she capitalized on a defensive blunder to slot the ball into the net.

Temwa scored her second goal in the 64th minute before completing her hat trick in the 77th minute with a beautiful header.

The hosts scored their second goal of the match through Thogofatso Motlogelwa in the 79th minute and Shamase scored the third goal for South Africa in the added time.

Banyana’s next group match is against Madagascar on Saturday 7 October at the Dobsonville stadium at 12:00 and they wrap up their group campaign against Eswatini on Tuesday 10 October.

The tournament will run from 06 to 15 October in Gauteng, with matches taking place in Atteridgeville and UJ Stadium and Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.

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