By Tapiwa Chawagarira
GABORONE, Botswana — Zimbabwean champions Herentals Queens have been eliminated from the race for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League after suffering their second consecutive defeat in the COSAFA regional qualifiers in Botswana.
Herentals’ hopes of progressing to the knockout stages ended on Saturday after they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to defending champions Gaborone United at the Gaborone United Stadium.
The defeat followed Thursday’s heavy 5-2 loss to Zambia’s ZESCO Ndola Girls, leaving the Zimbabwean champions without a point from their first two Group A matches.
ZESCO announced their intentions early in the tournament with a commanding victory over Herentals. Eneless Phiri and Charity Mubanga each scored twice before Penelope Mulubwa completed the Zambian side’s tally. Natasha Benza and Catherine Gwangwara scored for Herentals.
The loss to Gaborone United was particularly damaging given the hosts’ pedigree in the competition. Gaborone United are the reigning COSAFA champions, having won the 2025 edition by beating ZESCO Ndola Girls on penalties in the final.
The Botswana side also has a history of frustrating Herentals. Gaborone United eliminated the Zimbabwean champions with a 1-0 victory in the semi-finals of the 2024 qualifiers, a result that prevented Herentals from reaching the final.
For Herentals, the latest campaign therefore represents a significant setback, especially after the club had established itself as one of Zimbabwe’s strongest representatives in the regional competition.
The Zimbabwean champions reached the semi-finals on their COSAFA debut in 2024, finishing as runners-up in their group before their narrow defeat to Gaborone United.
This year’s competition, however, has proved considerably more difficult. The eight participating teams were divided into two groups, with the top two in each group advancing to the semi-finals. The overall winner will earn COSAFA’s place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League finals.
Herentals will now play for pride when they conclude their Group A campaign against Lesotho Defence Force Ladies on Monday.
The match will give coach Lazarus Magaya Izimi and his players a chance to finish the campaign on a positive note, even though their hopes of reaching the continental finals have already disappeared.
For Zimbabwean women’s football, the early elimination will also raise questions about the country’s ability to translate domestic success into regional competitiveness, particularly against clubs from Zambia and Botswana that have invested heavily in women’s football and gained valuable experience on the continental stage.
The COSAFA qualifiers are being staged in Gaborone from August 20 to 29, with all matches played at the Gaborone United Stadium.
