Kelvin Phiri’s second half goal was enough for Zambia to claim a 1-0 victory over South Africa in the final of the TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Algeria 2023 | COSAFA Qualifier played at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Sunday.
It was revenge for Zambia after South Africa had beaten them in the final of the COSAFA Girls’ Under-17 Championship played earlier in the day as it was honours shared between the two in the football competitions that were played as part of the Region 5 Games Lilongwe 2022.
Phiri bundled the ball over the line on the hour mark to help his side to the Boys’ trophy and a second victory in the competition over the South Africans after they beat them by the same scoreline in the group stages.
It is third time lucky for Zambia after they had to be content with a silver medal in 2020 and 2021.
By reaching the final, both sides qualify for the TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Algeria 2023 that will be played in April, keeping them potentially on course for a place in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Peru later next year.
Earlier, Malawi picked up the bronze medal in the Boys’ competition with a thumping 5-2 win over Botswana.
Webster Mzunda scored a hattrick as the hosts claimed the handsome victory, though they were pushed by Botswana until the very end.
South Africa striker Siyabonga Mabena claimed both the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament awards for his nine goals in Lilongwe, while compatriot Gennaro Johnson won the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper. Botswana claimed the Fair Play award.
Meanwhile, South Africa claimed a maiden victory in the final of the COSAFA Girls’ Under-17 Championship as they edged a seven-goal thriller in one of the best matches since the competition was first played in 2019.
Zambia had hoped to defend their title won in Maseru last year, but despite leading twice in the match eneded up on the losing side.
Sinazo Ntshota put South Africa ahead inside two minutes but Lucy Kajiya headed Zambia level. They then took the lead when Jessy Zulu fired in a powerful shot off the bar.
Nobahle Mdelwa got her sixth of the campaign to draw South Africa level with a superb free-kick that she curled into the net.
That was the way it stayed through halftime, but Zambia were back in front on 50 minutes when Zangose Zulu blasted the ball into the roof of the net.
But when Ntshota grabbed her second midway through the second period, it was game on and the momentum with the South Africans.
And they grabbed the winner on 84 minutes when Andrielle Mibe rounded the goalkeeper to slot the ball into the back of the net for a memorable win.
Malawi had on Saturday collected the bronze medal in the Girls’ competiton when they thumped Botswana 9-0 in the play-off game.
Ntshota was named Player of the Tournament , while the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper went to her compatriot Casey Gordon.
The Golden Boot for leading scorer was won by Malawi’s Rose Kadzere after she netted eight times in the competition. Zambia picked up the Fair Play award.
It ends South Africa’s wait to lift the title after previous wins for Uganda (2019), Tanzania (2020) and Zambia (2021).
SUNDAY’S RESULTS
TOTALENERGIES U17 AFCON ALGERIA 2023 | COSAFA QUALIFIER
Third-Place Play-Off
Botswana 2 (Losika Ratshukudu 58’, Boikobo Matakula 79’) Malawi 5 (Lucky Mkandawire 4′, Webster Mzunda 20′, 66’, 90’, Vincent Harrison 42′)
Final
Zambia 1 (Kelvin Phiri 60’) South Africa 0
COSAFA GIRLS’ UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP
Final
Zambia 3 (Lucy Kajiya 16′, Jessy Zulu 21′, Zangose Zulu 50′) South Africa 4 (Sinazo Ntshota 1′, 66′, Nobahle Mdelwa 30′, Andrielle Mibe 84’)
TOTALENERGIES U17 AFCON ALGERIA 2023 | COSAFA QUALIFIER STATISTICS
Matches Played: 13
Goals scored: 50
Biggest victory: Seychelles 0 South Africa 11 (Group B, December 3)
Most goals in a game: 11 – Seychelles 0 South Africa 11 (Group B, December 3)
GOALSCORERS
9 goals – Siyabonga Mabena (South Africa)
5 – Emmanuel Mwanza (Zambia)
4 – Webster Mzunda (Malawi), Losika Ratshukudu (Botswana)
3 – Lutetekelo Kapowa (Zambia), Benjamin Wallis (South Africa), Marcel Zimba (Zambia)
2 – Vincent Harrison (Malawi), Dhakier Lee (South Africa), Lucky Mkandawire (Malawi), Kelvin Phiri (Zambia)
1 – Lorenzo Hoareau (Seychelles), Blessings Kanowa (Malawi), Samson Malaya (Zambia), Bonniface Manopolo (Botswana), Xhosa Manyana (South Africa), Boikobo Matakula (Botswana), Mwisho Mhango (Malawi), Bennet Mokoena (South Africa), Dorian Nanuseb (Namibia), Thato Sibiya (South Africa)
Own Goal – Julius Banda (Malawi)
COSAFA GIRLS’ UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS
Matches Played: 10
Goals scored: 75
Biggest victory: Namibia 0 South Africa 12 (Group A, December 3); Malawi 12 Namibia 0 (Group A, December 5)
Most goals in a game: 12 – Namibia 0 South Africa 12 (Group A, December 3); Malawi 12 Namibia 0 (Group A, December 5)
GOALSCORERS
8 goals – Rose Kadzere (Malawi)
6 – Faith Chinzimu (Malawi), Nobahle Mdelwa (South Africa)
5 – Andrielle Mibe (South Africa)
4 – Leticia Chinyamula (Malawi), Sinazo Ntshota (South Africa), Jessy Zulu (Zambia), Zangose Zulu (Zambia)
3 – Lotang Ebineng (Botswana), Harriet Matipa (Zambia), Lubasi Pumulo (Zambia)
2 – Bwalya Chileshe (Zambia), Katlo Ditsile (Botswana), Olwethu Sosibo (South Africa), Sarah Mulimbika (Malawi).
1 – Anna Baziliyo (Malawi), Linda Manda (Malawi), Tatiana Correia (South Africa), Lebogang Dilelo (Botswana), Julia Goncalves (South Africa), Mbapeua Hangara (Botswana), Lucy Kajiya (Zambia), Suwiranji Lukondo (Zambia), Tricia Mabamba (Zambia), Mary Mbalangwe (Malawi), Chikondi Mgodi (Malawi), Khutso Mogano (South Africa), Palesa Mokopakgosi (Botswana), Gositang Motshegwe (South Africa), Esther Musialela (Zambia), Naledi Nkosi (South Africa), Ntando Phahla (South Africa)
La Zambie sacrée chez les garçons, l’Afrique du Sud chez les filles
Ils avaient déjà réalisé la moitié du chemin en se qualifiant pour la prochaine édition de la Coupe d’Afrique des nations des moins de 17 ans. Il s’agissait pour la Zambie et l’Afrique du Sud de savoir qui remporterait le trophée de vainqueur. C’est le premier nommé qui a été exact au rendez-vous en s’imposant 1-0.
Dans la finale de la TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Algeria 2023 | COSAFA Qualifier, les Zambiens ont pu compteur sur Kelvin Phiri pour s’adjuger la coupe de vainqueur. Dans un match fermé, le Zambien a patiemment attendu jusqu’à l’heure de jeu pour frapper. Malgré plusieurs occasions en première période, les Sud-Africains ne sont jamais parvenus à trouver la solution.
Comme chez les filles, la médaille de bronze est tombée dans l’escarcelle du Malawi qui efface un peu sa déception de n’avoir pas pu aller en finale de cette compétition organisée sur son sol. Quoi qu’il en soit, le match face au Botswana a été âprement disputé avec des échanges de haut niveau et des duels tout au long de la rencontre. Le Malawi s’en tire d’ailleurs à bon compte.
C’est Mkandawire qui a ouvert le score dès la 4e minute de jeu en prenant ses responsabilités en tant que meneur de cette équipe malawite. Mzunda a ensuite brillé au cours de la rencontre en inscrivant un triplé. Il a d’abord frappé à la 20e minute de jeu avant de récidiver après l’heure de jeu pour conclure son festival dans le temps additionnel. Harrison a également apporté sa contribution. En face, Ratshukudu et Matakula ont été les buteurs pour le Botswana qui aurait pu faire encore mieux dans cette rencontre.
Si chez les garçons, le match de la troisième place a été intéressant à suivre, la finale du
COSAFA Girls’ Under-17 Championship a été, lui, rempli de suspense et de rebondissement du début à la fin. C’est finalement l’Afrique du Sud qui a eu le dernier mot en s’imposant 4-3.
Il fallait arriver tôt au Bingu Stadium pour ne pas manquer une miette de cette rencontre de haut niveau. C’est l’Afrique du Sud qui a ouvert le score dès la 2e minute de jeu par le truchement de Ntshota (2e). Cette dernière a également récidivé après l’heure de jeu. Mais avant cela, la Zambie avait égalisé puis passé devant après les réalisations de Jessy Zule (10e et 21e). Les Juniors Shepolopolos n’ont toutefois pas capitalisé sur cette avance et se sont faits reprendre par Mdelwa (30e) Zangose Zulu rétablira la parité mais un dernier but de Mibe en fin de rencontre a achevé lez Zambiennes et couronné les Sud-Africaines.
Zâmbia vence África do Sul e sagra-se campeão do COSAFA-2022
A Selecção Nacional de Futebol da Zâmbia conquistou este domingo, o seu terceiro título, na final do Campeonato Masculino Sub-2017 de Futebol da África Austral (COSAFA), após vencer, no Bingu National Stadium, a sua similar da África do Sul, por 1-0, com o único tento a ser apontado por Kelvin Phiri (60´).
À entrada para esta fase as duas equipas já haviam garantido o apuramento para o TotalEnergies Campeonato Africano das Nações (CAN) que terá lugar na Argélia em 2023. O torneio COSAFA serviu para qualificar os dois representantes da zona, de acordo com o figurino introduzido pela Confederação Africana de Futebol (CAF) em 2018.
Quis o destino que os finalistas voltassem a esbarar-se na final, depois de ambas terem jogado entre si na última jornada da fase de grupos. Nesse embate, a Zâmbia levou a melhor ao vencer os sul-africanos por tangenciais 1-0. Haviam contas pendentes por se ajustar, mas a história repetiu-se e a África do Sul voltou a perder pelo mesmo resultado!
Hoje, as duas equipas entraram em campo sem margem para erro. A procura pelo golo foi repartida pelos dois, mas a estratégia montada pelos técnicos dos dois conjuntos foi eficaz. Os golos não surgiram. Foi-se ao intervalo com nulo a prevalecer.
O degelo do jogo só foi quebrado a passagem do minuto 60 por intermédio de Kelvin Phiri, na cobrança de um livre-directo inaugurou o marcador estabelecendo o 1-0 a favor da Zâmbia. Siyabonga Mabena, uma das melhores unidades em campo e melhor marcador da África do Sul desperdiçou a oportunidade de igualar o marcador, mas estava em dia não!
Vale lembrar que com esta conquista, a Zâmbia iguala a África do Sul com o número de títulos (3) alcançados, seguindo Angola com dois. Com apenas um troféu nas suas prateleiras, estão as selecções do Malawi (2001), Namíbia (2016) e Zimbabwe (2007).
Percurso dos finalistas
A Zâmbia chegou a esta fase intacta no Grupo B como líder destacado, marcando 9 golos e com apenas um sofrido. O mesmo não se pode afirmar quanto a Botswana, que não teve uma passagem às meias-finais, depois da magra vitória sobre a Namíbia (1-0) e o empate por 2-2 frente ao Malawi foi suficiente para seguir em frente como o segundo melhor classificado do Grupo A.
Já no duelo da primeira meia-final, a Zâmbia foi superior, após suplantar a sua congénere do Botswana por 4-2, mas foi por um triz que não houve uma reviravolta, depois de os zambianos ter estado a liderar. Um bis de Kapowa (45+2, 86’), Zimba (7´) e Malaya (31’) foram os obreiros do triunfo, sendo que a equipa vencida chegou aos golos por intermédio de Manopolo (51’) e Ratshukudu (58’).
Por conseguinte, os “Amajimbos”, alcunha da formação sul-africana, despacharam nas “meias”, o Malawi por 5-1, mercê dos golos de Sibiya (31´), Mabena (47´,86´ e 90´+3´) e Lee (74´). O tento de honra do Malwi foi apontado por Mzunda a passagem do minuto 52.
