Tura Magic Football Club FC on Sunday lost their opening match of the 2021 Women’s Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Champions League Qualifiers campaign by a 3-0 scoreline against Zimbabwe’s Black Rhinos Queens in South Africa (SA).

In a match played at Nelson Mandela Bay, SA and monitored online by Nampa, Magic started the game well, matching the Zimbabwean outfit who had earlier on beaten Group B favourites Green Buffalos 2-0 in the opening match of the group.

It was Rhinos Queens who went ahead through a Rutendo Makore superb header in the 23rd minute, to take a solitary goal lead into halftime.

Magic came back the second half showing a lot of urgency and intensity in a bid to get onto the scoresheet with Captain Anna Shikusho and Tomalina Adams proving to be a thorn into their opponent’s defence with their intelligent runs and quick passing.

However, lack of match fitness and fatigue started to show as the Namibians conceded two quick goals by Cristobel Katona in the 66th minute and Makore added the third in the 68th minute to leave Magic with a mammoth task of qualifying for the next round.

Magic coach Timo Tjongarero was graceful in defeat saying it was not a good day in the office for his team.

“First games are always a challenge for us, it is always a lot of nerves, uneasiness and the new pitch which we did not train on. But it is part of football. We made a few mistakes and it cost us. We could have also taken a few chances of ourselves and the result could have been different,” Tjongarero said.

He said he was optimistic that his club will fight in their next game and prepare well adding that they the same chances as Green Buffalos to make it to the next round.

The win means Rhinos Queens are through to the semi-finals, as they have amassed six points.

Magic and Green Buffaloes will fight it out for second place when they meet on Tuesday.

Source: Namibia Press Agency