Lesotho booked a quarterfinal meeting with South Africa on Saturday after defeating Malawi 1-0 in their Group B shoot-out at the 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup in Windhoek.
Jane Thaba-Ntso headed the winner with seven minutes remaining, though Lesotho only needed a draw for top spot in the pool.
Malawi did most of the chasing in the game as you would expect from a side needing a win, but wasted numerous opportunities as Lesotho looked to hit them on the break.
It is a second goal of the competition for Thaba-Ntso, who netted after 34 seconds in the 3-0 win over Mauritius in Lesotho’s opener, the fastest goal in COSAFA Castle Cup history.
Mauritius’ Luis Dorza went close to beating that as he netted after 50 seconds of his team’s 2-0 victory over a youthful Angolan side.
Andy Sophie netted a screamer from 30-yards to double the lead in the first half as Mauritius comfortably held out in a game in which both sides finished with 10 men after red cards for Carlos do Carmo (Angola) and Sophie (Mauritius).
The final round of group matches now means the quarterfinal line-up is complete.
Lesotho take on South Africa on Saturday at 15h00, before later in the day holders and hosts Namibia make their entrance in to the competition with a tough clash against Botswana (kick-off 17h30).
Both those matches will be at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, as will Sunday’s ties after they were moved from the Independence Stadium.
Zambia host Swaziland in the first game at 15h00, while DR Congo tackle Mozambique at 17h30.
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Group B
Malawi 0 Lesotho 1 (Thabo-Ntso 83’)
Angola 0 Mauritius 2 (Dorza 1’, Sophie 24’)
QUARTERFINAL FIXTURES
Saturday
South Africa vs Lesotho (KO 15h00 local, 14h00 GMT) – Sam Nujoma Stadium
Botswana vs Namibia (KO 17h30 local, 16h30 GMT) – Sam Nujoma Stadium
Sunday
Zambia vs Swaziland (KO 15h00 local, 14h00 GMT) – Sam Nujoma Stadium
DR Congo vs Mozambique (KO 15h00 local, 14h00 GMT) – Sam Nujoma Stadium
STANDINGS
Group A P W D L GF GA Pts
Swaziland 3 2 1 0 7 2 7
Zimbabwe 3 1 2 0 7 2 5
Madagascar 3 1 1 1 1 1 4
Seychelles 3 0 0 3 0 10 0
Group B P W D L GF GA Pts
Lesotho 3 3 0 0 6 0 9
Malawi 3 2 0 1 4 1 6
Mauritius 3 1 0 2 2 4 3
Angola 3 0 0 3 0 7 0
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 12
Goals scored: 27
Biggest victory: Zimbabwe 5 Seychelles 0 (Group A, June 15)
Most goals in a game: 5 – Zimbabwe 5 Seychelles 0 (Group A, June 15)
GOALSCORERS
5 goals – Felix Badenhorst (Swaziland)
3 – Gabadinho Mhango (Malawi)
2 – Lawrence Mhlanga (Zimbabwe), Ronald Pfumbidzai (Zimbabwe), Jane Thaba-Ntso (Lesotho)
1 – Luis Dorza (Mauritius), Claudel Fanomenza (Madagascar), Miracle Gabeya (Malawi), Teenage Hadebe (Zimbabwe), Hlompho Kalake (Lesotho), Jeremea Kamela (Lesotho), Tumelo Khutlang (Lesotho), Sera Motebang (Lesotho), Tatenda Mudehwe (Zimbabwe), Njubulo Ndlovo (Swaziland), Wonder Nhleko (Swaziland), Andy Sophie (Mauritius), Obadiah Tarumbwa (Zimbabwe)
