Mares blast Zambia to reach first final

After eight unsuccessful attempts, the Mares will finally appear in the deciding match, after first half goals from Lone Gaofetoge and Refilwe Tholakele while Ireen Lungu scored the consolation goal for Shepolopolo.   The two teams met last year in the same stage of the competition with Zambia emerging victorious. But this time fortunes were on the local girls’ side. The team will pocket P250,000 as an incentive from the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development.

The Mares made their intentions known early, and they went ahead in the eighth-minute when Gaofetoge caught the goalkeeper off her line with a long shot that floated to the far end of the post. The Zambians took control of the game, but conceded a penalty as Mary Wilombe handled the ball inside the penalty area. Tholakele, who started the game as a lone striker, put the ball beyond the keeper’s reach to give the Mares a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes in what her side’s last of the two shots on target in the encounter.