VINTAGE Leandra Smeda!
The veteran midfielder wrote herself into Banyana Banyana folklore with a winner as South Africa edged Zimbabwe 2-1in a thrilling Cosafa Women's Championship final yesterday.
Smeda bagged her fourth goal of the tournament, heading in perfectly from a Chantelle Esau's cross with two minutes left, and break the hearts of the thousand of Zimbabwe fans, who packed the Barbourfield Stadium.
Thembi Kgatlana scored the opener just before halftime, but Rutendo Makore levelled midway through the second half.
It certainly wasn't an easy win, South Africa having sweated blood to win their fourth Cosafa Cup
, in arguably the most exciting match of the tournament.
Desiree Ellis's girls cracked under sustained pressure from the Mighty Warriors, Makore heading in beautifully from a well-weighed cross in the second half.
Noko Matlou had done as thorough job keeping the tournament's top scorer with 10 goals, under check.
But Makore caught Matlou napping as she rose to head in the equalizer.
Kgatlana, who took home the Player of the Tournament award, redeemed herself as she put Banyana 1-0 up on the stroke of halftime.
Clean through on goal, Kgatlana controlled well before low past 'keeper Chido Dzingirai.
She had twice let the home side off the hook when, wasting a handful of chances Banyana created in the first half.
But her fourth goal of the tournament and a career eleventh, proved decisive in the end.
