The HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Beach Soccer Championship in Durban that gets under way this Sunday will be the perfect warm-up for teams ahead of the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations that will be staged in Mozambique from October 21-30.
Four of the sides that will compete on the continental stage will also be in Durban, including African champions Senegal, Egypt, Uganda and Mozambique.
Malawi and Madagascar are the other COSAFA teams to play in the Beach AFCON, but they could not make it to the COSAFA tournament due to logistical reasons.
Malawi will debut in Mozambique, while Madagascar are former African champions themselves having claimed the continental title in 2015
In all there have been four teams to fly the Southern African flag on the continent since the first event was staged in 2006. Here are their records.
MADAGASCAR
APP MP W L GF GA
5 22 13 9 109 93
Finishes
2011 – Fourth
2013 – Group Stages
2015 – Winners
2016 – Fifth
2018 – Fifth
Summary: Madagascar are the only side from the COSAFA region to lift the CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations after they triumphed in 2015, beating Senegal in the final on penalties in the tournament played in Seychelles.
Toky Randriamampandry won the Best Player award at those finals, while Jhorialy Rafalimanana claimed the Golden Glove.
They had weeks earlier claimed the inaugural COSAFA Beach Soccer Championship that had also been staged in Seychelles to help them get ready for the continental finals.
It was a case of winning the African at the fourth attempt for the Malagasy, which finished fourth in their inaugural appearance in 2011. They narrowly lost to Nigeria (6-7) in the semifinals before going down on penalties to Egypt following a 4-4 draw in the bronze medal match.
They did not make it out the group stages in 2013, before they triumph two years later in Seychelles. Since then they have had a pair of fifth-place finishes in 2018 and 2018.
MOZAMBIQUE
APP MP W L GF GA
4 14 6 8 48 75
Finishes
2007 – Group Stages
2008 – Group Stages
2009 – Sixth
2021 – Second
Summary: Mozambique were runners-up to hosts Senegal in the last Beach Soccer Cup of Nations that was played earlier this year.
It is their best finish in the continental competition as they made a return to the finals for the first time in 12 years.
Their maiden appearance was in 2007 when they did not get past the group stages. The following year produced the same result.
They returned again in 2009 and this time made the knockout rounds but ended sixth after being pipped by Morocco in the fifth-place match.
Mozambique topped their pool with a full haul of three wins in 2021, and then beat Uganda 6-3 in the semifinals. They lost 4-1 to Senegal in the final, but still did enough to book their place at the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, where they exited at the first stage.
SEYCHELLES
APP MP W L GF GA
2 8 0 8 12 58
Finishes
2015 – Eighth
2021 – Seventh
Summary: Seychelles qualified as hosts of the CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations in 2015 but struggled and lost all three of their pool games, as well as the battle for seventh place as they went down 12-1 to Ghana.
They won a place in 2021 after qualifier opponents Madagascar pulled out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but again found the level too difficult and were beaten in their three group games again.
They essentially finished last in the field after DR Congo withdrew, with the worst record of the seven competing teams.
SOUTH AFRICA
APP MP W L GF GA
5 15 4 11 60 65
Finishes
2006 – Fifth
2007 – Fourth
2008 – Group Stages
2009 – Group Stages
2011 – Ninth
Summary: South Africa hosted the first four years of the CAF Beach Soccer Cup of Nations between 2006 and 2009 and so gained automatic entry as hosts.
They finished bottom of their pool in 2006 but beat Morocco 5-4 in a play-off for fifth place.
They did make the semifinals in 2007 but endured an agonizing 7-6 loss to Nigeria in extra-time, and then went on to lose the bronze-medal match 2-0 to Ivory Coast.
There was another group stage exit in 2008, as well as 2009 and 2011.
