South Africa’s Bayana Bayana made history with a 17-0 drubbing of the Comoros Islands as they opened their 2019 Cosafa Women’s Championship Group A campaign in fine style at the Wolfson Stadium in Nelson Mandela Bay on Wednesday.
There were also victories for Zimbabwe and Malawi as the competition got under way in front of an enthusiastic crowd, who were treated to plenty of action on day one.
The victory is not only the biggest ever in the Cosafa Women’s Championship, beating the 15-0 victory for Zimbabwe over Lesotho in 2002, but is also South Africa’s largest ever win in their history.
Despite resting a host of key players and without their numerous overseas-based stars, Bayana Bayana had too much quality for the islanders, who were on debut in the competition.
Captain Refiloe Jane, who netted twice in the final last year, scored four goals to showcase her quality, while there was also a hat-trick for Amanda Mthandi.
Hilda Magaia and Bambanani Mbane scored braces, and the other goals came from Tiisetso Makhubela, Ode Fulutudilu, Mamello Makhabane, Busiswe Ndimeni, Kholosa Biyana and an unfortunate own goal from Comoros defender Hanifa Melanie.
Banyana might not know quite what to read into this result with Malawi and Madagascar to come in their group, but it is certainly a statement of intent from the side. –Supersport
