Mozambique were COSAFA Beach Soccer Championship winners in 2021 and will now seek to regain the title they relinquished to Senegal in 2022 when they take part in the latest edition in Durban from March 17-23.

Mozambique stormed to the title three years ago as they brought their form on the continental stage to the regional competition.

Their run to the COSAFA title included an 8-3 win over Comoros, before they were run close by Tanzania, drawing their group stage game 4-4 but winning 4-3 on penalties. There has to be a winner in beach soccer games.

They eased past South Africa 5-3 in the semifinals, before meeting Tanzania again in the decider, this time running out 3-1 winners.

They could not repeat that feat a year later, admittedly against a more formidable field, as they lost their opener to continental powerhouse Senegal 5-4, before thumping Seychelles (12-2) and South Africa (8-4).

They were edged by Egypt 2-1 in the semifinals and then lost the bronze medal match 8-7 to Uganda.

Mozambique hosted the CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, where they finished fourth, again missing out on bronze, this time pipped by Morocco, who will appear at the COSAFA event this year.

They were runners-up to hosts Senegal in the 2021 Beach Soccer AFCON, which 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.

MOZAMBIQUE AT THE 2021 COSAFA BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
MP      W        L          GF        GA
4          4          0          20        11

Results:
Group Stages
Mozambique 8-3 Comoros
Mozambique (4)4-4(3) Tanzania

Semifinals
Mozambique 5-3 South Africa

Final
Mozambique 3-1 Tanzania

 

MOZAMBIQUE AT THE 2022 COSAFA BEACH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
MP      W        L          GF        GA
5          2          3          32        21

Results:
Group Stages
Mozambique 4-5 Senegal
Mozambique 12-2 Seychelles
South Africa 4-8 Mozambique

Semifinals
Egypt 2-1 Mozambique

Third-Place Playoff
Uganda 8-7 Mozambique

 

MOZAMBIQUE AT THE BEACH AFCON
APP     MP      W        L          GF        GA
5          18        7          11        59        89

Finishes
2007 – Group Stages
2008 – Group Stages
2009 – Sixth
2021 – Second
2022 – Fourth