The 2024 African Schools Football Championship | COSAFA Qualifier will be staged in Walvis Bay, Namibia from October 11-13, the third regional preliminary competition for the tournament in the Under-15 age-group after its debut in 2022.
It is the first time it will be played in Namibia after the previous qualifiers were held in Malawi and Zimbabwe respectively, moving the competition around the region as teams vie for a place at the continental finals in the Boys and Girls categories.
The brainchild of Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Dr Patrice Motsepe, the continent-wide initiative aims to give budding footballers a first taste of continent competition.
Six schools in the Boys’ category contested the COSAFA Qualifier in Lilongwe, Malawi in 2022 and five in the Girls’ tournament.
The Boys were split into two groups of three teams, with home side Salima Secondary (Malawi) and Clapham High (South Africa) advancing to the semifinals from Group A.
Rosinha (Angola) and IQRA School (Comoros) made it through to the final four from Group B.
Ishumael Bwanali scored all four goals as Salima defeated IQRA School in their semifinal, while Kgaogelo Monanyane got a hat-trick as Clapham dismissed Rosinha 6-0.
That set up a final and it took a goal from Sibusiso Tolomane to see Clapham take the title with a 1-0 win.
As it turned out, both sides advanced to the continental finals that were played in Durban, South Africa as the COSAFA region received one entry as hosts, and a second for their winning side in the qualifier.
Monanyane won the Boys’ Player of the Tournament prize, while Bwanali finished with the Golden Boot. Kamogelo Phokela from Clapham High claimed the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper and Rosinha claimed the Fair Play award.
The Girls’ competition was played in a single round-robin format among the five sides with the team that finished top of the pool the winner. The second-placed side also advanced.
South Africa’s Edendale Technical had already clinched the title before the kick-off of their final fixture against Mothamo JSS from Botswana but ended in style with a 4-0 win.
Nobahle Mdelwa was among the goals and finished as the leading scorers in the competition with seven goals.
The penultimate match in the girls’ competition saw Anse Boileau from Seychelles play to a goalless draw with GS Ningha of the Comoros.
The point took Anse Boileau into second place and saw them claim the silver medal, with Malawian outfit Malindi Secondary School taking bronze.
The Player of the Tournament prize in the girls’ competition went to Victoria Nkwala from Malindi, with Mdelwa winning the Golden Boot and Malindi’s Emily Maulidi the Golden Glove. Anse Boileau went home with the Fair Play award.
There was a change in 2023 as the competition moved away from individual schools with each country represented by the best players from the national qualifiers.
South Africa completed a ‘double’ for the second year in a row as they claimed both the Boys’ and Girls’ titles at last year’s qualifiers in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The South African Boys’ team, made up predominantly of players from the Ubuntu Football Academy School in Cape Town, defeated Malawi 3-0 on penalties after the teams had played to a 1-1 draw in a pulsating final.
Malawi took the lead on the stroke of halftime in the Boys’ final as Okestar Kanyenda scored a superb goal when he struck the ball on the volley and into the far post.
Rhys Ferguson saw his initial shot on the volley come back off the post, but he reacted quickest to the loose ball to send it into the net and take the game to spot-kicks.
South Africa scored all of theirs, but Malawi missed each of their penalties as Amos Nyirenda struck the crossbar, and Tinga Nkhoma and James Msongole had their efforts saved by goalkeeper Sabrie Losper.
Hosts Zimbabwe claimed third place in the Boys’ competition with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Namibia in their bronze-medal match.
South Africa’s Simama Inganathi was named Player of the Tournament in the Boys’ competition, while Losper took home the Golden Glove. Zimbabwe’s El Shaddai Sadomba took home the Golden Boot with six goals.
South Africa, made up mostly of players from Edendale Technical High School, claimed gold in the Girls’ final with a 3-1 victory over Botswana, who pushed them all the way.
Khwezi Khoza, who finished as the leading scorer in the competition with 11 goals, netted twice for the South Africans to go with a goal for livewire winger Rethabile Molefe.
Botswana’s consolation goal came from Amogelang Sebotho, who was impressive throughout the competition.
Mozambique were comfortable winners in the Girls’ bronze-medal match as they defeated Namibia 4-0, the latter unlucky to finish fourth and outside the medals in both the Boys’ and Girls’ events.
South Africa’s Katleho Malebana was named Player of the Tournament in the Girls’ category, while teammates Angel Zibula won Golden Glove and Khoza the Golden Boot. Namibia won the Fair Play prize.
2022 TOURNAMENT STATISTICS
BOYS
Matches Played: 11
Goals scored: 30
Biggest victory: Rosinha 0 Clapham High 6 (Semifinals, October 31)
Most goals in a game: 6 – Rosinha 0 Clapham High 6 (Semifinals, October 31)
GIRLS
Matches Played: 10
Goals scored: 26
Biggest victory: Edendale Technical 7 GS Ningha 1 (Group A, October 30)
Most goals in a game: 8 – Edendale Technical 7 GS Ningha 1 (Group A, October 30)
2023 TOURNAMENT STATISTICS
BOYS
Matches Played: 22
Goals scored: 62
Biggest victory: South Africa 7 Angola 0 (Group B, December 14)
Most goals in a game: 7 – South Africa 7 Angola 0 (Group B, December 14)
GIRLS
Matches Played: 22
Goals scored: 83
Biggest victory: South Africa 14 Angola 0 (Group B, December 14)
Most goals in a game: 14 – South Africa 14 Angola 0 (Group B, December 14)
