Editors PickNational Sports

U-17 retain bronze

 

Alex Tsamba’s double against South Africa’s Amajimbo yesterday morning ensured that Malawi Under-17 l football team retained bronze medal at the Cosafa Youth Championship in Port Louis, Mauritius.

It really couldn’t have been sweeter for the Junior Flames who recovered from a 0-2 semi-final showdown loss against Zambia’s Junior Chipolopolo to leave the Amajimbo battered and bruised.

According to cosafa.com, the first goal that came in the 27th minute, had all the hallmarks of theatre and art and the beauty of it all, lay in the creation.

U-17 team

An interlude of spellbinding beautiful movement and passing, saw Tsamba drifting into an open space and then there was a first touch pregnant with assurance. As danger loomed, South Africa’s goalkeeper Constandin Christodoulou advanced in no man’s land to avert danger, but it was all in vain as the Junior Flames forward sold him a dummy before providing the final flourish—it was all simple.

Then just five minutes after break, he netted the second with a shot from near post and it was over for Amajimbo.

And when they pulled one back in the 67th minute through a penalty converted by Junior Nare, it was too little, too late.

The initial spot-kick was fumbled by Junior Flames goaltender Kennedy Nankhaima but Nare rushed to slot home the rebound.

To put an icing on the cake, Junior Flames’ Auspicious Kadzongola was named the man-of-the-match, his second at the tournament as he also got the accolade in the 2-0 win over Botswana’s Young Zebras in the group stages.

The Junior Flames provided man-of-the-match in all their five games—a testimony of their potential, skill and rhythm.

In the match against Zimbabwe’s Young Warriors, which the Junior Flames won 5-0, the award went to Chinsisi Maonga while Tathedwa Willard won it in the 2-0 triumph over hosts Mauritius whereas Haji Wali got it against Zambia.

Malawi’s assistant coach Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda said retaining bronze was a solace after failing to make it to the finals.

“The boys have proved that they have potential and with the necessary support, they are destined for greatness. They are  skilful and have self-belief,” he said.

Soccer analyst Gorge Kaudza Masina also said the fact that they went that far without playing an international friendly match, was sheer testimony of their potential.

“Look, this is a team that did not have a chance to play an international friendly unlike their South African and Zambian counterparts and save for three players, the rest were new.

“To add on to that, quite a number of players were flushed out after it was established that they were over-aged and this just shows that if the team will not be abandoned as was the case last year then we have a team for the future,” he said. n

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