Defending champions Zambia picked up their first points of the 2023 HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Comoros at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.
Malawi made it two wins from two when they claimed a 2-0 victory over Seychelles in the second game of the day and stay in pole positions for the semifinals with a clash against Comoros to come.
Malawi head the pool with six points from two games, followed by Zambia and Comoros (both three points), and Seychelles, who have yet to break their duck.
Only the top team in each pool qualifies automatically for the semifinals along with the best-placed runner-up, so there is little margin for error.
Zambia took the lead against Comoros with a beautiful goal on 51 minutes.
Some intricate passing on the edge of the islanders’ box led to Fredrick Mulambia unleashing a low drive that went in off the post.
But Comoros equalised 15 minutes later when hesitation between defender and goalkeeper at the back for Zambia allowed Affane Djambae to nip in and score into an unguarded net.
The Comoros forward became the first player in this year’s tournament to score more than once.
But Zambia would not be denied as Golden Mashata was played into space behind the Comoros defence and his cross provided a tap-in for Albert Kangwanda to make it 2-1, a lead they held to the end.
Malawi had to be patient against Seychelles, but took the lead on 55 minutes with a well-worked goal.
Chawanangwa Kaonga showed good strength to hold off a defender and crossed for Lanjesi Nkhoma to head home unopposed by the retreating Seychelles defence.
The second goal came 10 minutes later and ended the game as a contest. Seychelles goalkeeper Jean Paul Lesperance could only parry a low shot into the path of Jacama Kumwembe, who had an easy task to score from four yards.
The competition continues on Monday, but at a new venue in the princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, where the second round of games in Group C will be played.
Angola will hope for victory when they meet Mauritius at 15h00 CAT having drawn their first game against Mozambique.
Angola do not have an unblemished record against Mauritius, though it is fairly one-sided. In the five previous meetings they have won four to go with a single defeat in 2016. That was part of a run of three tournaments in a row in which they clashed, with Angola winning the next two games by 1-0 scorelines.
Mozambique take on Lesotho, the only side in the pool to have picked up a win in the first round of games. That match is at 18h00 CAT.
Mozambique are unbeaten against Lesotho (W1 D2) but the teams have not clashed since 2006, with their previous two clashes ending 0-0.
All matches will be streamed live to a global audience on FIFA+ and you can follow a behind the scenes look at the tournament on our various platforms:
- Go to our website cosafa.com
- Head to our YouTube channel
- Follow us on Twitter
- Like our Facebook page
- Find us on Instagram
- Check us out on TikTok
SUNDAY’S RESULTS
Group B – King Zwelithini Stadium
Zambia 2 (Mulambia 51’, Kangwanda 74’) Comoros 1 (Djambae 67’)
Malawi 2 (Nkhoma 55’, Kumwembe 65’) Seychelles 0
MONDAY’S FIXTURES
Group C – Princess Magogo Stadium
Angola vs Mauritius (KO 15h00; 13h00 GMT)
Mozambique vs Lesotho (KO 18h00; 16h00 GMT)
GROUP STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| South Africa | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Botswana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Eswatini | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Namibia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 1 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Malawi | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Zambia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Comoros | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Seychelles | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | -5 | 0 |
| GROUP C | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Lesotho | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Angola | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Mozambique | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Mauritius | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 10
Goals scored: 22
Biggest victory: Seychelles 0 Comoros 3 (Group B, July 6)
Most goals in a game: 3 – Seychelles 0 Comoros 3 (Group B, July 6)
GOALSCORERS
2 goals – Affane Djambae (Comoros)
1 – Dayo Antonio (Mozambique), Raidou Bacar (Comoros), Benarfa (Angola), Lebogang Ditsele (Botswana), Rowan Human (South Africa), Absalom Iimbondi (Namibia), Elmo Kambindu (Namibia), Albert Kangwanda (Zambia), Thatayaone Kgamanyane (Botswana), Jacama Kumwembe (Malawi), Sifiso Matse (Eswatini), Bongwa Matsebula (Eswatini), Shaune Mogaila (South Africa), Neo Mokhachane (Lesotho), Fredrick Mulambia (Zambia), Lanjesi Nkhoma (Malawi), Iqraam Rayners (South Africa), Motebang Sera (Lesotho), Ibroihim Youssouf (Comoros)
Own goal – Aaron Katebe (Zambia)
C’est presque fait pour le Malawi
Le Malawi a déjà un pied en demi-finale. Les Flames se sont imposé dans la douleur contre les Seychelles dimanche (2-0). Ils occupent la tête du groupe B avec six points. C’est la seule formation à avoir décroché en phase de poule. Dans l’autre match, la Zambie a arraché trois précieux points contre les Comores (2-1) et lancent enfin leur tournoi.
Le Malawi s’avance comme une nouvelle force dans la compétition. Après avoir pris le meilleur sur la Zambie il y a quelques jours, les Flames ont de nouveau jailli pour s’imposer. Cette fois, ce sont les Seychellois qui ont subi leur foudre. Nkhoma (55e) et Kumwembe (65e) ont été les buteurs dans le clan malawite. Le Malawite Chawanangwa Kaonga a, lui, reçu le trophée d’homme du match. En revanche, ce deuxième revers fait mal aux Pirates qui devront compter sur un miracle pour passer au prochain tour. Cette mission quasi impossible se jouera contre les Zambiens le 11 juillet.
La Zambie est de nouveau conquérante. Les Chipolopolos avaient la pression avant le coup d’envoi car ils devaient l’emporter pour rester en cours. Le message a été parfaitement capté puisque les Zambiens ont eu le dernier mot contre une équipe des Comores accrocheuse. Avec trois points au compteur, ils se replacent du coup dans la course et peuvent même continuer à espérer conserver leur titre.
Pour en revenir au match, une nouvelle fois on a pu constater que les Comoriens ont de l’ambition et de la qualité au sein de leur effectif. Mais dimanche, c’est l’expérience des Zambiens qui a fait basculer le score. Tout s’est d’ailleurs joué en seconde période. Mulambia a d’abord ouvert le score à la 51e minute avant que Djambae n’égalise après l’heure de jeu. Kangwanda a ensuite surgit à la 74e minute pour offrir la victoire aux Coelacanthes. Ces derniers joueront un match décisif contre le Malawi. A noter que c’est le milieu de terrain Zambien, Kelvin Kampamba qui s’est vu décerner le titre d’homme du match.
Ce lundi, l’Angola affrontera Maurice en match d’ouverture. Les deux formations ont connu des trajectoires différentes jusqu’ici. Le Club M a été battu par le Lesotho lors de son entrée en lice et se retrouve donc en dernière position de la poule C. L’Angola, qui était annoncé comme une formation capable d’aller jusqu’au bout, a partagé les points avec le Mozambique et a surtout été l’auteur d’une prestation terne. On dira que les Antilopes noires se cherchent encore.
Toutefois, ce lundi, Mauriciens et Angolais devront se ressaisir. Les deux adversaires seront dans l’obligation de l’emporter pour éviter l’élimination. C’est surtout le cas pour le Club M qui se doit de récolter ses premiers points car un nouveau revers enverrait les Mauriciens à la maison. Avec un point au compteur, les Rouge et Noir n’en mènent pas large non plus. Au niveau des confrontations, l’Angola a l’avantage pour s’être imposé à quatre reprises lors des cinq dernières confrontations contre les quadricolores. Ces derniers ne comptent qu’une victoire.
Le Lesotho peut déjà composter son billet pour le dernier carré en cas de victoire contre le Mozambique. Les Lesothans ont trois points dans la besace et les Mozambicains un petit point. Ce match s’annonce très passionnant avec deux équipes au style différent sur la grille de départ.
Zâmbia vence e relança luta até ao fim, Malawi despacha Seychelles
A selecção da Zâmbia, campeã em título, redimiu-se, ontem, em pleno King Zwelithini Stadium, da derrota sofrida na jornada inaugural, após vencer as Comores por tangenciais 2-1, na abertura da segunda jornada do Grupo B, da 22ª edição da Taça COSAFA-2023, a disputar-se na cidade balnear de Durban.
Por sua vez, Malawi voltou a dar um importante passo ao rumo as “meias” ao despachar as malas das Seychelles, por 2-0, mercê dos golos de Jacama Kumwembe (64) e Lanjesi Nkhoma (55´). Os “Flames” que estão praticamente com um pé na fase seguinte, comandam a série com seis pontos (6) e só precisam de garantir o triunfo frente as Comores, na terceira e última jornada da fase de grupos.
Por conseguinte, os campeões só conseguiram chegar ao almejado golo na segunda etapa, fruto de um erro de marcação por parte dos centrais insulares, que permitiu a entrada do meio-campista do Power Dynamos da Zâmbia, Fredrick Mulambia, na zona de rigor a passagem do minuto 51. Em reacção, as Comores restabeleceram a igualdade depois de um contra-ataque rápido que pegou os centrais zambianos em contrapé. Affane Djambae encarregou-se de executar o golo deixando o campeão num ataque de nervos.
Contudo, ciente da necessidade de conquistar os três pontos para acalentar as esperanças de lutar por um lugar nas meias-finais, os “Chipolopolos” viriam a amputar a possibilidade das Comores estarem na mó de cima, marcando o golo da vitória apontado Albert Kangwanda aos 74 minutos.
Um triunfo que assinala o primeiro encontro na história de confrontos entre os dois conjuntos, pelo menos, no que o COSAFA diz respeito.
Com este precioso triunfo, a Zâmbia recolocasse na rota rumo a revalidação do título e, a mesma passa a somar os mesmos pontos (3) que as Comores.
Contudo, os representantes dos deste grupo para as meias-finais só serão conhecidos na terceira e última jornada da fase de grupos. Com efeito, as Seychelles recebem os zambianos na próxima terça-feira.
Entretanto, Moçambique joga amanhã, pelas 18.00 horas, no no Princess Magogo Stadium, diante da sua similar do Lesotho, em partida referente a segunda jornada da do grupo “C” e com a obrigação de vencer o duelo caso queira seguir em frente.
A anteceder a esta partida, no mesmo recinto, as selecções de Angola e das Maurícias medirão forças entre si às 15.00 horas.
A competição é disputada por 12 nações divididas em três grupos de quatro equipas cada, sendo que os três melhores classificados e o segundo melhor colocado de todos seguirão para as meias-finais.
Este formato vai conferir maior rodagem às equipas, visto que permite a realização de um mínimo de três jogos e máximo de cinco. No anterior formato, os primeiros classificados de cada série apuravam-se para os quartos-de-final, sendo que não havia disputa doutros lugares, ou seja, quem fosse eliminado na fase de grupos regressava para casa.
