Daily Dispatch

Cosafa boss hails PE as Banyana lift cup

- VUYOKAZI NKANJENI

Cosafa president Phillip Chiyangwa watched Banyana Banyana retain their title on Saturday and then announced that the tournament would return to the city next year following phenomenal crowd support.

Attendance throughout the two-week Cosafa Women’s Championsh­ip at Wolfson Stadium in KwaZakhele was impressive as soccer-lovers rallied behind Banyana and women’s soccer.

Chiyangwa said he was not only pleased by the amount of fans attending the matches but also the magnificen­t vibe in the stadium during the games.

Chiyangwa said the city had requested that the tournament be hosted in the Bay once again next year and he had no hesitation in obliging.

“Together with the Safa president and the deputy mayor we have agreed that the tournament will be here next year,” the Cosafa president said.

“They just need to formalise it by the city writing to Safa, the football controllin­g body, then to Cosafa, but I have generally accepted that it can come back here.”

Asked what had influenced his decision, Chiyangwa, said it was the people.

“We play football for people to have fun. You can see the changes in PE’s reflection of things. Once there is more football coming, socialisat­ion takes place and football is one of the most powerful tools to bring people together and out of crime.”

Banyana Banayana were crowned winners of the competitio­n for the fifth time after having won it last year as well as in 2002, 2006 and 2008.

They beat Cameroon 2-1 in a very competitiv­e and high tempo final.

Midfielder Refiloe Jane scored two excellent goals in the 43rd and 90th minutes. Cameroon had equalised via Genevieve Ngo Mbeleck in the 66th minute.

Speaking about their achievemen­t, an excited Banyana coach Desiree Ellis said: “It was a tough match and it was very technical. I think we almost cancelled each other out but when we got the first goal we settled down nicely.

“Cameroon are a good side but the beauty of our team is that we never give up. Our players gave their all. We are a team that fights for each other.

“We are a team that plays until the final whistle.

“We have won a few games in the last couple of months right at the death and credit goes to the players.”

Together with the Safa president and the deputy mayor we have agreed that the tournament will be here next year

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