Malawi Flames Lose to Lesotho on Penalties in COSAFA Cup Semi-Finals
Malawi National men's football team, Flames, lose to Lesotho 3-0 on penalties in the 2023 COSAFA Cup semi-finals.
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA — The Malawi National Men's Football Team, the Flames, suffered a 3-0 defeat to Lesotho on penalties in the semi-finals of the 2023 COSAFA Cup, writes Happy Valirani.
The match, which ended in a 1-1 draw in regulation time, was played at King Zwelithini Stadium on July 14, 2023.
Throughout the game, the Flames struggled to dominate possession, allowing Lesotho to control the midfield.
Taking advantage of this, Lesotho's Jane Ntabantso opened the scoring 16 minutes after catching the Flames' defence off guard.
However, Malawi quickly responded with a penalty goal from Chawanangwa Kaonga on 25 minutes, making it 1-1 at halftime.
In the second half, the Flames made three substitutions to bolster their attack, but both teams failed to find the back of the net.
As the game ended in a draw, it proceeded to a penalty shootout to determine the winner.
Unfortunately for Malawi, Lesotho's goalkeeper, Sekhaone Maorane, saved three penalties, while Lesotho converted all of their spot-kicks to secure a 3-0 victory.
Lesotho will now face Zambia in the finals on July 16, 2023, while Malawi and South Africa will compete for third place in an earlier match on the same day.
Despite the disappointment, Malawi's interim coach, Patrick Mabedi, acknowledged the superior performance of their opponents and praised his players for reaching this stage of the competition.
"Our opponents were a better side. We tried our best, but unfortunately, we didn't score a goal. After conceding a goal, we created some chances, but we couldn't convert them," said Mabedi.
"Overall, I give credit to my players for reaching this far. Penalties are anybody's game, and we can't blame anyone for missing a penalty."
The Flames' defeat marks the end of their journey in the 2023 COSAFA Cup, and they will now shift their focus to the third-place match against South Africa.