SA ’DOWNS STAR RABALE’S HAT-TRICK SINKS SITSEBE

MBABANE – Eswatini suffered a 3-0 defeat in their Group B opener against Lesotho during the 2022 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Women’s Championship, at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium yesterday.

It was African Women football champions Mamelodi Sundowns’ star Boitumelo Rabale who destroyed them, leading by example as she wore the captain’s armband to lead her national team to its first victory in this year’s edition. She also walked off the pitch as the player of the match.  
Not a good result for Eswatini who trade by the name Sitsebe Samhlekazi, as Rabale’s hat-trick may spell doom given the strong Copper Queens of Zambia being in the same group, as well as Namibia, all tough opposition.

Qualify

Only the top team progresses in each of the three groups as 12 countries battle it out. Rabale who lifted the CAF Women’s Champions League, title early this year in Egypt with Sundowns has put her country in a good position to qualify as best runner-up to the semifinals with this win while Sitsebe face the mammoth task of somehow getting a win against Namibia and needing to stun Zambia with a draw or win.

Meanwhile, Sitsebe’s path was toughened by Rabale who struck twice in the first half and completed her hat-trick late in the match. She was on target seven minutes into the match through a 25 yards drive from a free-kick. She smashed the ball into the back of the net, giving Sitsebe’s goalkeeper Eunice Mbuli no chance at all. Sitsebe’s Nonjabuliso Mokgale, in a moment of individual brilliance galloped towards goal leaving Lesotho’s Bokang Ntshane for dead, but her shot was saved by the goalkeeper before the half-hour mark.

As Eswatini fluffed the golden opportunity, Rabale was in no compromising mood as she added her second ,two minutes past the half-hour mark after the goalie misjudged what was otherwise a harmless cross from the corner spot, letting it through only to allow a free header for the scorer. Eswatini coach Simephi Mamba made her first substitution five minutes before half-time, taking out Phumzile Dlamini for Sisanda Ndzinisa. The second-half saw Eswatini getting into the match as they kept Lesotho at bay and creating chances, through the enterprising Mokgale but still failed to get any past the Lesotho goalkeeper.

Cracked

Sitsebe’s defence eventually cracked two minutes before regulation time as Rabele completed her hat-trick after she was teed-up by Tsoanelo Leboka, unmarked inside the box and coolly slotted home, beating substitute goalkeeper Gcinile Dlamini. Eswatini will play Namibia in the second match of Group B on Sunday at the same venue, starting at noon. Meanwhile, Sitsebe’s gaffer, Simephi Mamba said it was a good game and she did not blame her charges as they created a lot of chances which they failed to convert into goals. On the other hand, Lesotho’s Pule said the game against Eswatini was tough as he had to overload the middle of the park after observing that Sitsebe was playing hard and long balls. He also said their game plan was to score more goals as the competition was a tournament of goals and he was happy that they achieved that. The Mamba-led team finds itself bottom of the group with Lesotho on top while Zambia are on second following their 2-0 triumph over Namibia.

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