Malawi U20 Team Exits COSAFA Youth Championship After Loss to Lesotho
The defeat marks another disappointing tournament for the Junior Flames, who haven't reached the semifinals since 2011.
MAPUTO, Mozambique— Malawi's under-20 national football team failed to advance to the semifinals of the 2024 COSAFA Youth Championship, losing 3-2 to Lesotho on Tuesday, writes Joseph Chalera.
The defeat marks another disappointing tournament for the Junior Flames, who haven't reached the semifinals since 2011.
Coach Bob Mpinganjira praised his team's performance despite the loss.
"We played well, but luck wasn't on our side," Mpinganjira said.
"The tournament was good for us, and we'll go back home to start preparing for the next one."
Mpinganjira attributed the loss to poor communication between defenders and the goalkeeper and to underestimating their opponents.
"We conceded early due to the team's poor communication on the pitch," he explained.
Malawi finished their Group C campaign with one win against Comoros (2-1) and two losses against Lesotho (3-2) and South Africa (5-0), accumulating three points from three games.
Soccer analyst Twaha Chimuka criticized authorities for expecting instant results without adequate investment.
"We always want to win games, yet we don't prepare our teams properly," Chimuka said. "Remember, planning is key; failing that, you wait for a disaster."
Chimuka questioned the team's preparation, noting the long bus journey to the tournament.
"How can a team that has travelled about 1,800 kilometres by bus win you a title?" he asked, emphasizing the need for investment in grassroots football.
South Africa qualified from Group C, joining Angola, Zambia from Group B, and Zimbabwe from Group A in the semifinals.