EN, FR, PR: Malawi claim bronze at COSAFA Girls’ Under-17 Championship

The final of the Girls’ competition will be staged on Sunday when defending champions Zambia take on South Africa at 14h30 CAT.

The latter have never won this competition so will be aiming for their maiden gold medal, while Zambia are seeking back-to-back titles after also lifting the trophy in Maseru.

Zambia squeezed past Malawi on penalties in their semifinal, while South Africa were more comfortable 3-0 winners over Botswana in their knockout clash.

Hosts Malawi claimed a third-place finish after trouncing Botswana 9-0 at Bingu National Stadium on Saturday, largely due to the performance of Faith Chinzimu who scored a hat-trick.

The Boys’ TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Algeria 2023 | COSAFA Qualifier will also come to a conclusion with both finalists Zambia and South Africa (kickoff 17h30 CAT) having already sealed their place at the continental finals next April.

Zambia have been beaten in the final of the last two tournaments, including by South Africa in 2020, so will be desperate to make it third time lucky in Lilongwe.

These have been the two best sides in the competition and so it is a fitting finale, where South African striker Siyabonga Mabena looking to wrap up the Golden Boot by adding to his nine goals.

The third-place play-off will be staged earlier in the day when Botswana meet Malawi in the battle for bronze (11h30 CAT).

Both these sides have had excellent tournaments and shown the future of the national team is bright, but would like to walk away with some consolation to show for it.

Both the Boys’ and Girls’ tournaments are being played as part of the Region 5 Games Lilongwe 2022.

All matches will be streamed live on COSAFA.TV and FIFA+, and you can get a full rundown of the Girls’ fixtures right here, and the Boys’ matches here.

We will also be providing coverage across our multitude of social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube – where we will provide news and behind-the-scenes features from Lilongwe.

SATURDAY’S RESULT
COSAFA GIRLS’ UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP
Third-Place Play-Off
Botswana 0 Malawi 9 (Linda Manda 1‘, Leticia Chinyamula 13‘, 30‘, Rose Kadzere 32‘, Faith Chinzimu 23‘, 39‘, 46‘, Sarah Mulimbika 61‘, 70‘)

SUNDAY’S FIXTURES
TOTALENERGIES U17 AFCON ALGERIA 2023 | COSAFA QUALIFIER
Third-Place Play-Off
11h30 CAT (09h30 GMT): Botswana vs Malawi – Bingu National Stadium

Final
17h30 CAT (15h30 GMT): Zambia vs South Africa – Bingu National Stadium

COSAFA GIRLS’ UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP
Final
14h30 CAT (12h30 GMT): Zambia vs South Africa – Bingu National Stadium

TOTALENERGIES U17 AFCON ALGERIA 2023 | COSAFA QUALIFIER STATISTICS
Matches Played: 10
Goals scored: 42
Biggest victory: Seychelles 0 South Africa 11 (Group B, December 3)
Most goals in a game: 11 – Seychelles 0 South Africa 11 (Group B, December 3)

GOALSCORERS
9 goals – Siyabonga Mabena (South Africa)
5 – Emmanuel Mwanza (Zambia)
3 – Lutetekelo Kapowa (Zambia), Dhakier Lee (South Africa), Losika Ratshukudu (Botswana), Benjamin Wallis (South Africa), Marcel Zimba (Zambia)
1 – Vincent Harrison (Malawi), Lorenzo Hoareau (Seychelles), Blessings Kanowa (Malawi), Samson Malaya (Zambia), Bonniface Manopolo (Botswana), Xhosa Manyana (South Africa), Mwisho Mhango (Malawi), Lucky Mkandawire (Malawi), Bennet Mokoena (South Africa), Webster Mzunda (Malawi), Dorian Nanuseb (Namibia), Kelvin Phiri (Zambia), Thato Sibiya (South Africa)
Own Goal – Julius Banda (Malawi)

COSAFA GIRLS’ UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS
Matches Played: 9
Goals scored: 68
Biggest victory: Namibia 0 South Africa 12 (Group A, December 3); Malawi 12 Namibia 0 (Group A, December 5)
Most goals in a game: 12 – Namibia 0 South Africa 12 (Group A, December 3); Malawi 12 Namibia 0 (Group A, December 5)

GOALSCORERS
8 goals – Rose Kadzere (Malawi)
6 – Faith Chinzimu (Malawi)
5 – Nobahle Mdelwa (South Africa)
4 – Andrielle Mibe (South Africa), Leticia Chinyamula (Malawi)
3 – Lotang Ebineng (Botswana), Harriet Matipa (Zambia), Lubasi Pumulo (Zambia), Jessy Zulu (Zambia), Zangose Zulu (Zambia)
2 – Bwalya Chileshe (Zambia), Katlo Ditsile (Botswana), Sinazo Ntshota (South Africa), Olwethu Sosibo (South Africa), Sarah Mulimbika (Malawi).
1 – Anna Baziliyo (Malawi), Linda Manda (Malawi), Tatiana Correia (South Africa), Lebogang Dilelo (Botswana), Julia Goncalves (South Africa), Mbapeua Hangara (Botswana), Suwiranji Lukondo (Zambia), Tricia Mabamba (Zambia), Mary Mbalangwe (Malawi), Chikondi Mgodi (Malawi), Khutso Mogano (South Africa), Palesa Mokopakgosi (Botswana), Gositang Motshegwe (South Africa), Esther Musialela (Zambia), Naledi Nkosi (South Africa), Ntando Phahla (South Africa)

Le bronze pour le Malawi
Le Malawi s’est octroyé la médaille de bronze dans la petite finale du COSAFA Girls’ Under-17 Championship en battant le Botswana 9-0 dans un match à sens unique. Finalistes l’an dernier, les Botswanaises n’ont pas pu refaire le même exploit.

Il n’y a pas eu de round d’observation dans cette petite finale. Manda à ouvert le score quelques minutes seulement après le coup d’envoi. Chinyamula s’est ensuite fendu d’un doublé. Même efficacité pour Mulimbika qui a marqué aux 61^e et 70^e minute. Kadzere a profité de ce match pour marquer son 8^e but dans la compétition. La performance de cette explication est à mettre au crédit de Chinzimu qui a marqué un triplé.

Epilogue de cette édition 2022 réservée aux moins de 17 ans avec trois rencontres au programme. C’est le match de la troisième place qui ouvrira le bal avec les équipes masculines du Botswana et du Malawi qui tenteront de repartir avec le bronze autour du cou. Les deux formations s’expliqueront à 11h30. Le match ne s’annonce guère facile pour le Malawi qui aura la pression de bien finir devant son public. Vendredi, les Malawites sont complètement passés à côté de leur demi-finale contre l’Afrique du Sud.

De son côté, le Botswana a une nouvelle fois pu compter sur son impact physique pour tenter de contenir les Zambiens mais cela n’a pas suffi. Au coup de sifflet final, ce sont bien lez Zambiens qui ont atteint la finale.

En finale, la Zambie croisera le fer avec l’Afrique du Sud à 17h30. Les deux formations sont déjà les grands vainqueurs de cette compétition puisqu’ils représenteront la région COSAFA l’an prochain en Algérie dans le cadre de la Coupe d’Afrique des nations des moins de 17 ans. Leur ticket déjà en poche, il faut maintenant obtenir le titre et leur explication s’annonce tendue et remplie de suspens.

Comble du hasard, c’est la même affiche qui est proposée dans la finale du COSAFA Girls’ Under-17 Championship. Jusqu’ici, l’Afrique n’a pris qu’un but. Elle possède également la meilleure attaque de la compétition au tableau féminin. Mais les Zambiennes vendront chèrement leur peau au cours de cette finale dont le coup d’envoi sera donné à 14h30.

A noter que toutes les rencontres sont à suivre en streaming sur COSAFA.TV et sur FIFA+. Retrouvez également les faits de matchs, les photos du jour, les vidéos insolites ainsi que les résultats sur toutes nos plateformes numériques, à savoir Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok et YouTube.

Malawi cilindra Botswana (9-0) e conquista bronze no AUSC R5
A selecção feminina sub-17 do Malawi ocupou a terceiro lugar no pódio do torneio COSAFA da categoria, integrado na 10.ª edição dos Jogos do Conselho Superior de Desporto da África Austral (AUSC R5), após golear por 9-0, hoje,  a sua similar do Botswana, em partida referente a atribuição do terceiro classificado desta competição.

As anfitriãs que perderam aos penalties para a Zâmbia (3-1), nas meias-finais, depois do empate por duas bolas no tempo regulamentar, redimiram-se da melhor forma perante o seu público, que a pesar do desaire passado, não deixou de marcar a presença massiva no Bingu National Stadium, afim de apoiar as raparigas, que saíram ao intervalo a liderar no marcador por 6-0.

Foi um autêntico festival de golos que se assistia perante o olhar impotente do Botswana!  Linda Manda (1’), a meio-campista a serviço do DD Sunshine do Malawi aproveitou-se de uma displicência da defensiva contrária e escancarou as portas para a vitória marcando o primeiro golo da partida.  Seguiu-se depois Faith Chinzimu (23’,  40’) e a inevitável Rose Kadzere (32´), que anotou o sétimo  golo na sua conta pessoal. Aliás, a entrada a esta ronda a atacante liderava a lista das melhores goleadoras com igual número de golos marcados, seguindo Faith Chinzimu  na segunda posição com seis golos.

Mesmo a entrada para a segunda etapa Faith Chinzimu (46´) voltou a dar o ar da sua graça anotado o sexto golo da contenda, tendo depois Sarah Mulimbika (61´ e 70´) marcado o oitavo e nono golo.  Sem reação a equipa treinada por Tapaphiwa Gaebolae, técnica do Botswana limitou-se apenas a assistir as impiedosas adversárias, que dominavam por completo a partida.

Frisar que nas “meias” o Botswana foi eliminado com a África do Sul por 3-0, depois de ter seguido  a fase eliminar como a segunda melhor classificada do Grupo B com três pontos, frutos de apenas uma vitória.

Entretanto, vale lembrar que amanhã, as selecções  da Zâmbia e da África do Sul, disputam, às 14.30 horas, no Bingu National Stadium, a final do torneio COSAFA.

Vale lembrar que as “Copper Princesses”, alcunha da equipa treinada por Naomi Phiri, técnica da Zâmbia,  são as actuais detentoras do troféu. Esta foi a primeira vez que um país da região austral conseguiu erguer o troféu, uma vez que nas anteriores edições Uganda (2019) e Tanzania (2020) arrebataram os troféus.