The 2021 CAF Women’s Champions League winners, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, were stunned in the final of the COSAFA regional qualifying competition by Zambia’s Green Buffaloes on Saturday. Green Buffaloes prevailed 6-5 in a penalty kick shootout after the teams played to a 0-0 draw at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Durban, South Africa. Joana Benai converted the winning penalty to knock out the 2022 CAF Awards winner for Women’s Team of the Year and take home the second edition of the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Champions League. Both teams advance to the final 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League competition set to take place in Morocco.
It was an even matchup throughout regulation with both teams having looks on goal but solid goalkeeping and missed chances saw the two sides cancel each other out. Sundowns were forced to play extra time and the final ten minutes of regulation with ten women after Oratile Mokoena was sent off for receiving a second yellow card.
Extra time did little to separate the teams and penalties were required to settle the winner. After a perfect start for both teams saw the first ten spot kicks converted without any intervention from either goalkeeper, the next four penalty kicks missed or were saved in sudden death before the eighth frame determined a winner. Buffaloes keeper Aisha Mbwana saved Chuene Morifi’s attempt before Benai kept her nerve to convert the winning kick.
Highlights of the match and the penalty kick shootout are below.
Highlights of the match
Full penalty kick shootout