The Lesotho striker who was pounced on an offside trap that went awry in this VAR image
* We didn’t have enough numbers to convert our possession into chances — unfortunately, we lost it at the very end because of a loss of concentration
* We could have defended better — our defenders all went for the one ball, and the deflection fell to Lesotho striker Makara Ntaitsane who pounced on it
Maravi Express
Flames assistant coach Peter Mponda attributed the 0-1 defeat to Lesotho in their opening Group B match of the COSAFA Cup 2025 campaign to a lapse in concentration late in the game with just over six minutes left to regulation time.
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The Flames’ lapse in concentration late in a game keeps haunting the team that also manifested in the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 qualifiers in which they won 1-0 at Bingu Stadium South Africa but lost 2-1 on aggregate in the second leg.
The Bafana Bafana equalised at home and while the Flames held on to force into penalties, they were caught napping as the hosts scored also in late stages of the qualifier, which was the final round of the qualifiers which would have earned Malawi their first-ever qualification for the CHAN finals.
Mponda acknowledged that the game against Lesotho was a well-balanced affair in which the Flames were superior in terms of possession, but they were slow going forward.
“We didn’t have enough numbers to convert our possession into chances,” he told FAM Facebook page’s online stream. “Unfortunately, we lost it at the very end because of a loss of concentration.
“We could have defended better — our defenders all went for the one ball, and the deflection fell to Lesotho [striker Makara Ntaitsane who pounced on it].”
The goal was first adjudged to have been scored from an offside position but video assistant referee (VAR), which has been introduced from game one for the first time in this year’s competition — the first time on the African continent for a regional competition — caught a Malawian defender to have helped Makara Ntaitsane to be onside in an offside trap that went awry.
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The Flames showed dominance right from start with confident passing and great control of the game but could not break a very tight Lesotho defence, which defended their lead scored from a lucky break up to four minutes of added time.
“It’s painful, but we have to go back and figure out how to dig ourselves out of the situation we’re in now,” said Mponda as Malawi return to action on Sunday afternoon when they face Namibia, who drew 1-1 against defending champions Angola in the other Group B fixture yesterday.
The Flames technical panel fielded a very strong squad, that included George Chikooka in goals, McDonald Lameck, Timothy Silwimba, Maxwell Paipi, Blessings Mpokera, Wisdom Mpinganjira, Yankho Singo, Zeliati Nkhoma, Chikumbutso Salima, Wongani Lungu and Chawanangwa Gumbo — with Wisdom, Zeliati and Chikumbutso Salima as three striking partners.
But, Mponda observed, the midfield — that enjoyed good possession of the ball — did not add more numbers to assist the three strikers: “Lesotho’s defenders left the midfielders enjoy possession [by sticking at the back]. Our midfielders were slow in adding numbers [once the three strikers got the possession].”
Mponda
In its analysis, FAM Media though Malawi began brightly, dominating possession, they failed to test Lesotho goalkeeper Mosoeu Seahlolo.
Malawi pushed for a breakthrough with flankers Wisdom Mpinganjira and Chikumbutso Salima delivering inviting crosses into the box, but striker Zeliati Nkhoma couldn’t connect with any of them.
Malawi’s defense led by Blessings Mpokera, Maxwell Paipi, McDonald Lameck, and Timothy Silwimba is reported to have stood strong to keep the opponents at bay.
Malawi technical panel made several changes — forced to pull off injured captain Maxwell Paipi and replaced by Andrew Jovinala; Zeliati Nkhoma making way for Promise Kamwendo and as the Flames chased an equaliser, coach made a desperate changing bringing in Gaddie Chirwa for Silwimba and Blessings Singini for Wongani Lungu.
But too late as Lesotho held firm to secure the narrow victory — the two teams 6th meeting at the tournament with the Suthus now leading the head-to-head record of 3-2.
The result has put the Flames in a difficult situation as the other two opponents are quite stronger than Lesotho ahead of Namibia on Sunday and the final Group B clash against the defending champions Angola on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in Group A matches played on Wednesday, Mozambique defeated hosts South Africa 1-0, while Mauritius held Zimbabwe to a 0-0 draw at the same Toyota Stadium while today, there is just a single game in the three-team Group D when Zambia tackle Comoros at 18h00 CAT. The other group contenders are Botswana.
Zambia are seven-time champions of the COSAFA Cup but lost all three group games last year in a shock failure while Comoros, on the other hand, had their best finish as they ended fourth after a first-ever appearance in the semifinals.
It is the second year in a row they meet in the group stages, with Comoros claiming a 1-0 victory in 2024.
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Guest nation, Tanzania are in Group C alongside Madagascar and eSwatini and this is an opportunity for East African country to fine tune themselves ahead of the CHAN 2025 finals which they will co-host alongside Kenya and Uganda in August — to be joined there by COSAFA sides, South Africa, Angola, Madagascar and Zambia.
The COSAFA Cup 2025 is also more than just a regional tournament — it’s a crucial preparation platform for eight teams heading to the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) Morocco 2025 — Angola, Botswana, Comoros, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.
The teams will be aiming to strategically using this competition to refine their tactics, assess squad depth, and build momentum AfCON Morocco 2025 finals.
Of the seven COSAFA nations that have qualified for the AfCON finals, only South Africa (1996) and Zambia (2012) have lifted the continental crown.—Content by FAM Media & COSAFA Media; edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
