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Defending champions Zambia will meet Malawi in the final of the COSAFA Women’s Championship on Sunday at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
This followed a slender one-nil win recorded by the Copper Queens over neighbours Zimbabwe.
The cosafa platform reported that the tempo of the match upped with Zimbabwe winning a free-kick after 20 minutes.
Read more: Copper Queens reach semifinals after walloping Comoros 5-1 at COSAFA Championship
Vimbai Mharadzi took it from range but goalkeeper Letisha Lungu, the only change in the Zambia starting 11, dealt with it for a follow up corner which the Mighty Warriors couldn’t do anything positive with.
Fridah Kabwe had the chance to put Zambia in the lead soon after but she was off target. Sarah Jere could have also had the opener but her shot was tame. Zimbabwe lost their scorer from the last group match Ennety Chemhere to an injury at the half hour mark.
They won a set-piece three minutes later which Lungu punched away to deny them a lead.
Priviledge Mupeti came close to breaking the deadlock in injury time of the first half and her attempt was dealt with by an alert Lungu, who was also forced to make another save immediately with Rudo Neshmaba also knocking on the door leaving the match tied at 0-0 at halftime.
It took six minutes after the teams came back from the break for Jere to break the deadlock with her fourth goal of the tournament and the ultimate winner which sent Zambia into the final.
Pauline Zulu could have extended the lead at the hour mark however her shot hit the woodwork. In that incident she got fouled and the Copper Queens were rewarded a free-kick.
Esther Siamfuko stepped up and Cynthia Shonga put her body on the line to deny Zambia the cushion goal.
There was drama at the end when the Zambian last line of defence was found napping forcing the ZESCO United goalkeeper to make an emergency save to ensure the score line remained 1-0.
In the second semifinal Malawi left it late to book their place in the decider as they edged Mozambique 2-1.
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