Red Roses survive scare as ZESCO make early statement
Gaborone United secured a narrow victory against LDF in a recent football match, despite coach Khalid Ninyonzima expressing concerns over player anxiety. Meanwhile, Zambia's ZESCO Ndola Girls made a strong start to their campaign with a decisive 5-2 win over Herentals Queens.
Why it matters
This match highlights the competitive landscape of women's football in the region and the psychological pressures faced by athletes during high-stakes tournaments.
The result gives the hosts an important three points, but the narrow victory also exposed areas coach Khalid Ninyonzima will want corrected before they face tougher opposition in Herentals Queens and last year’s finalists ZESCO Ndola Girls.LDF stunned the defending champions in the 16th minute when Keitumetse Namane caught the Red Roses defence napping on the break before calmly beating the goalkeeper. GU struggled to turn their possession into goals despite creating chances, with Ninyonzima admitting that anxiety and the weight of expectations affected his players. “I think it was too much on them, but they knew they had to win the game. Now they took it further, too much, which is not good,” he said.The champions eventually found their response five minutes after the interval when Lesego Radiakanyo unleashed a long-range effort that beat the LDF goalkeeper.
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