End of the road for U-20

Malawi Under-20 national soccer team’s 2015 Africa Youth Championship qualification dream came to a cruel end yesterday when their exit was completed in Zambia.
The Junior Flames could not stand the heat at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka where they lost 1-0 to bow out 3-1 on aggregate after losing the first leg 2-1 at home in Blantyre a fortnight ago.

 
Coach Ernest Mtawali had hoped to cause an upset, but his charges were on the back foot in the early stages in which they survived scares twice when goalkeeper Brighton Munthali was forced to make desperate saves.
Zambia’s Larry Bwalya scored the lone goal early in the second-half to kill any hopes of the Junior Flames’ dramatic comeback.
So, it is Zambia who qualify for the continental youth showpiece to be hosted by Senegal next year. n