AWCON 2022 Qualifier: South Africa, Kenya Win Big, Put One Foot In Next Round

AWCON 2022 Qualifier: South Africa, Kenya Win Big, Put One Foot In Next Round By Niyi Busari South Africa thrashed Mozambique 7-0 in the first round, first leg of the TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2022 qualifiers at the Estadio do Zimpeto, Maputo on Wednesday. Coach Desiree Ellis were smarting from their worst outing in the COSAFA Women's Championship history in Nelson Mandela Bay after they ended their rare trophyless campaign early this October. Banyana Banyana raced into the lead in the 22nd minute when Melinda Kgadiete fired past Mozambique goalkeeper Eva Costa before Linda Motlhalo doubled the advantage in the 41st minute. On the brink of half time, the rampant visitors added the third when Gabriela Salgado struck deep inside first-half stoppage time. Banyana continued from where they left off in the first half when captain Janine van Wyk notched the fourth in the 64th minute before Salgado bagged her second of the contest a minute later. The onslaught continued for the ruthless seven-time COSAFA winners as Noxolo Cesane netted the sixth goal in the 77th minute before Motlhalo also secured her brace a minute from time to complete the clinical away triumph. The healthy away win saw Ellis' team put one foot in the next round, ahead of the second leg meeting with Mozambique at the Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg on Tuesday, October 26. Kenya 8-0 South Sudan In the same vein, the returning Neddy Atieno scored five goals as Kenya’s national women’s football team Harambee Starlets ran riot against South Sudan, hitting the Bright Starlets 8-0 in the first leg of their 2022 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers in Nairobi on Wednesday. Starlets will now look to complete the job in the second leg on Saturday with the winner of the tie set to face off with neighbors Uganda in the second round. The Uganda Crested Cranes lead Ethiopia’s Lucy 2-0 from the first leg also played today. Full Results Of All African Women's Nations Cup Qualifiers 🇳🇬Nigeria 2-0 Ghana Black Queens 🇬🇭 Uchenna Kanu 21⚽’ 27’⚽ FT: 🇰🇪 Kenya 8-0 South Sudan 🇸🇸 FT: 🇺🇬 Uganda 2-0 Ethiopia 🇪🇹 FT: 🇲🇼 Malawi 1-1 Zambia 🇿🇲 FT: 🇹🇿 Tanzania 1-2 Namibia 🇳🇦 FT: 🇲🇿 Mozambique 0-7 South Africa 🇿🇦 FT: 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 3-1 Eswatini 🇸🇿 FT: 🇨🇫 CAR 0-1 Cameroon 🇨🇲 The return legs of the matches is scheduled for Saturday 23rd or Sunday 24th October.