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LEANDRA Smeda scored a 90th minute winner as South Africa claimed the 2017 COSAFA Women’s Championship crown after edging out Zimbabwe’s Mighty Warriors at Barbourfields yesterday afternoon.

It is South Africa’s Banyana Banyana’s fourth title from the five regional championships played, with Zimbabwe the only other side to lift the crown in 2011.

Chrestinah Kgatlana had scored the opener for the South Africans just before half-time, but when tournament top-scorer Rutendo Makore equalised for the Mighty Warriors with 17 minutes remaining, it looked as though the final would have to be decided by penalties. But when Smeda popped up to head home Chantelle Esau’s cross at the death, she secured the trophy for her side.

South African tactician Desiree Ellis has now become the first individual to win the COSAFA Women’s Championship both as a player and coach.

Makore had earlier tested the reflexes of South African goalkeeper Andile Dlamini early on with a fearsome drive in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 20 000 at Barbourfields.

Kgatlana and Nkoikoi Mabina also forced fine saves from Zimbabwe goalkeeper Chido Dzingirai.

But Kgatlana did finally break the deadlock when she collected a pass from Smeda and found the back of the net. South Africa looked in control, but the home side equalised on 73 minutes when Makore netted her 10th goal of the tournament with a powerful headed effort.

But just as it looked as though there would be no winner, Smeda proved the hero for the visitors to regain the regional crown for South Africa. Kgatlana was named Player of the Tournament, with Makore finishing as the leading scorer.

Meanwhile, Mighty Warriors striker Berita Kabwe believes they paid dearly for defensive errors when they succumbed to a spirited Banyana Banyana in yesterday’s final at Barbourfields.

South Africa lifted the Cosafa Women’s Championships title when they edged Zimbabwe in the final match of a tournament that started with so much promise for the host nation.

Coming into this tournament buoyed by an appearance at the 2016 Rio Olympics that charmed the entire globe let alone the 4-0 drubbing of guests nation Kenya in the semi-finals at Barbourfields on Thursday, expectations were high for the Mighty Warriors faithful.

That the Mighty Warriors came into the final match against Banyana Banyana yet to lose a game after beating Madagascar 4-0 and drawn against Zambia (1-1) and Malawi (3-3) to book a place in the semi-finals by emerging as the best runners-up and only to run riot over Kenya on Thursday, puts into context the high expectations that the fans had about Mighty Warriors’ chances of clinching the Cosafa Women’s Championships title. As if that was not enough, the Mighty Warriors beat Banyana Banyana 2-1 to lift the Cosafa Women’s Championship title in 2011 and last met in November last year in Cameroon for the Caf Women’s Africa Cup of Nations where they played out a goalless draw.

But such is the cruelty of the world’s most beautiful game that after fighting long and hard, the illustrious Zimbabwe women’s national team had to settle for the bridesmaid’s slot.

And Kabwe believes they did all they could but somehow the team made some defensive blunders that left them licking their wounds after yesterday’s final.

“We played well in this tournament and I think with luck on our side, we could have easily won the title. However, we also paid dearly for the defensive errors.

“After levelling terms, I thought we could hold on and at least manage to get the winner but somehow we let our opponents get the winner because of our defensive blunders,” said Kabwe after the match.

“It hurts to fail to win such a tournament on home soil especially after having done so well in the recent games. It hurts so much but that is the nature of the game, you win some, you lose some.

“The only thing that I am grateful for is that we have a good squad that can still make the nation proud in future tournaments. All we need is continuity and support from all the key stakeholders,” said Kabwe. — Supersport/ Sports Reporter.