Limwanya reflects on scoring winning penalty

Milika Limwanya of Zambia

Monday Oct 11, 2021. 10:00

Shepolopolo midfielder Milika Limwanya reflects on scoring the winning spot-kick in Zambia’s 4-3 post-match penalty victory over Banyana Banyana to win Bronze at the 2021 COSAFA Women’s Cup in South Africa on October 9.

Zambia beat outgoing COSAFA Womens Cup champions Banyana in the third-and-fourth playoff match on shoot-outs following a 1-1 full-time result at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Limwanya, who had started Shepolopolo’s first two group stage games with solid displays in defensive midfield, came on in the 59th minute of the playoff for Penelope Melba to score Zambia’s fifth spot-kick after Shepolopolo goalkeeper Catherine Musonda had saved Golden Boot winner Sibulele Holweni’s penalty.

“It feels great to have helped the team to victory, especially that it has always been my dream to one day score a winning goal for Zambia,” Limwanya said.

“It was a great feeling and it was so tense during post-match penalties that I didn’t realize it was my goal that had just won us third place.

” It just hit me when I saw my friends rushing towards me celebrating.”

The Green Buffaloes defensive midfielder was making her first return to the Shepolopolo fold following a four-year hiatus and now hopes that she has done enough at the COSAFA Cup to cement her Shepolopolo status.

However, Shepolopolo have little time to rest after their COSAFA Cup outing and are back in action next week when they face Malawi in a 2022 Women AFCON first round qualifier on October 20 away in Lilongwe.

The final leg is set for October 26 in Lusaka.

“We have a game against Malawi and again I hope I will be able to do my best to help the team win,” Limwanya said.

“But I have also promised myself to continue working very hard to ensure I keep my place in the team.”

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