ZESCO Ndola Girls 5-3 Ntopwa FC – CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers
ZESCO Ndola Girls booked an emphatic 5-3 victory over Malawi’s Ntopwa FC in a dramatic CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA Qualifier encounter at the UJ AW Muller Stadium.
The match burst into life early on when Penelope rattled the crossbar in the 4th minute, but it was skipper Avell Chitundu who opened the scoring in the 7th minute to give ZESCO the perfect start. The Ndola side continued to dominate, with Penelope going close again before Eneless Phiri doubled the lead in the 42nd minute after fine work from her teammates.
ZESCO went into the break 2-0 up, though they suffered a blow as Chitundu was stretchered off in added time.
The second half saw ZESCO introduce Charity Mubanga and Milla Milambo, and the substitutes made an instant impact. Mubanga netted within two minutes of the restart before Milambo added the fourth in the 64th minute. Eneless Phiri, in brilliant form, scored her third goal of the tournament in the 77th minute to make it 5-0 and seemingly put the game beyond doubt.
But Ntopwa refused to go down quietly. Rose Alufandika pulled one back in the 80th minute, followed by Kondawo Banda’s thunderous strike at the 90-minute mark. In stoppage time, Jessie Yosefe made it 5-3, completing a late fightback that added drama to the closing stages.
Despite the late scare, ZESCO held on for a deserved victory, powered by a strong attacking display and clinical finishing from their substitutes.
Fulltime: ZESCO Ndola Girls 5–3 Ntopwa FC
⚽ Goals:
- ZESCO Ndola Girls: Chitundu (7’), Eneless Phiri (42’, 77’), Mubanga (47’), Milambo (64’)
- Ntopwa FC: Alufandika (80’), Banda (90’), Yosefe (90+5’)
Player of the match: Eneless Phiri
