Flames scotch copper bullets

Malawi, the Flames scotched the copper bullets, a narrow 1-0 win was enough to bring to an end a 20-year wait.

But does the result matters? The main aim of the team is to assess the youngsters who have dominated the squad with only Chawangwa Kaonga as the foreign-based player plus Chifundo Mphasi who plays in an armature league in Zambia.

What matters was the performance of the players who had to play with their lungs out. Two successive corners within opening minutes signalled what the lads had in their minds.

Lanjesi Nkhoma forced the goalkeeper, Lawrence Mulenga after a drilling a shot from distance before Mulenga again denied Jacama Kumwembe an opener.

Moyela Libamba tested Brighton Munthali in goals but his effort went marginally wide before Zambia squandering another set-piece chance.

Malawi’s relentless pursuit of an opener was over, Zambia had scored an own goal. Malawi breathing flames won the corner that was bent in by Bangwe All Stars attacker, Robert Saizi who a grand game and defender Aaron Katebe planted his header into his won net beating the goalkeeper to give Malawi an early lead.

Powered by the vocal support from a handful of Durban-based Malawians, Flames had no time to relax as Jacama Kumwembe nearly grabbed his first goal for the Flames but he was denied by the flag which was already up after being teeid up by Lanjesi Nkhoma.

The defending champions, Chipolopolo and Kelvin Kampamba missed Munthali’s right woodwork with just inches after a arrowing a heavy shot from the edge of the box.

Munthali had a brilliant finger-tip as he denied Moyala Libamba after the defenders loosened their sphincters.

Gomez charged down the right flank after combining with Chawangwa Kaonga and he spotted Nkhoma in the penalty area and the joint super League’s top goal-poacher tried to hit an acrobatic kick but it whistled past Mulenga’s left post.

A new philosophy? Yes it can be called as the caretaker coach, Patrick Mabedi during his first interview with Media clearly indicated that he would not stick to Mario Marian Marinica’s “fast and very fast” football, a philosophy which can de honestly marked as “fruitless and directionless.”

From the era of the likes of Kinnah Phiri, Late Jack Chamangwana, Yasin Ousman, Malawi used to be popular with their passing and supporting football.

But Mabedi’s philosophy was not passing and supporting, not Marinica’s fast and furious philosophy, this can be called fast and very fast football.

Malawi were able to absorb pressure, able to restrict the defending champions from breaking on transition, Alick Lungu was outstanding, Sanudi proved why Mabedi trusted him with leadership role, Chimwemwe Idana had to wear glittering generalities in midfield.

Civil Service United Midfielder, Aaron Lloyd could command the Midfield as a 30-year-old man. Malawi were fast on the ball, pressing higher up the field and finishing with 52% possession was not by fluke.

Off from swallowing Mabedi’s half-time talks, Malawi continued from where they started. Lanjesi Nkhoma on the left, Jacama through the middle, Saizi igniting fire on the right, Kaonga behind Kumwembe, a super formation that was posing threat to Zambia’s defence whenever Flames were on the ball.

In their desperate for the goal, Zambia invited Munthali to make two double saves as Libamba tried to prove his lethality.

Flames suffered an early set-back in the second half as Kumwembe limped off injured and Mphasi replaced him.

Namibian referee paid Malawi a deaf ear as Zambia’s defender handled the ball in the penalty area as he tried to block Kaonga left-footed effort.

With 10 minutes on the clock, Frank Willard stepped in for Kaonga to provide an extra defensive cover as Mabedi was keen to bag all the points against the neighbors.

Malawi have now recorded their first win over their neighbors, Zambia since 2015 in the Cosafa Cup and it was Malawi’s third win in 9 meetings in the competition.

The victory puts Malawi in the driving seat in the pool, though it is Comoros who top the table on goal-difference.

Only the top team in each group advances to the semifinals, along with the best-placed runner-up across the three pools.

Comoros swept aside Seychelles 3-0 in the first game of the day in Group B, their biggest ever victory in the regional competition. It is, in fact, the first time Comoros had won a COSAFA Cup game by more than a single goal.

They took the lead on 27 minutes when Affane Djambae headed into the net from Bakri Youssouf’s hopeful pass.

Their second was an absolute thunderbolt and already a contender goal of the competition.

The ball sat up nicely for Ibroihim Youssouf and he unleashed a 30-yards shot into the top corner of the net.

There was a bit of good fortune for the third when Raidou Bacar tried to the turn the ball into the net at the near post and a couple of deflections later, it did cross the line.

Group C will get under way at the same venue with a Lusophone derby between Mozambique and Angola that is sure to be a fiery affair (kick-off 18h00 CAT).
Both teams will fancy their chances of topping the pool, so the chance to get an early three points is a huge carrot to be dangled in front of both.

Honours have been even down the years as they have claimed a win apiece and a draw in three previous meetings.

They have not met since a 1-0 win for The Mambas in Kitwe in 2013, a decade-long wait to go head-to-head again.

The first game of the day sees Mauritius take on Lesotho (15h00 CAT). With two big guns to come, getting off to a winning start will be vital.

Lesotho and Mauritius have met on three previous occasions and it has been one-way traffic with the Mountain Kingdom winning all three games and scoring six goals in the process. That includes a 2-1 win last year.