South Africa and Angola will do battle in Sunday’s final of the 2018 COSAFA Under-17 Championships and seek a qualification place in the African Under-17 Championships set for next year in Tanzania.
The pair were comfortable winners in their semifinals on Friday, with South Africa disposing of hosts Mauritius 2-0 and Angola putting in an excellent second-half display to rout Namibia 7-0, the biggest victory of the tournament to date.
Motlhalosi Nare netted a fine opener for South Africa before the win was sealed late on when Mauritian defender Yohan Dupre put the ball into his own net.
Although they did have to soak up periods of pressure, it was a deserved victory for the South Africans as they created the better clear-cut chances.
Sphiwe Nkabinde forced an excellent save from home goalkeeper Michel, before Nare found the opener with a neat finish that was his second goal of the tournament.
Nkabinde then struck the crossbar with a thunderous drive as Amajimbos pushed for a second, but the score remained 1-0 at the break.
Mauritius had a spell of pressure in the final 15 minutes as they sought the equaliser, but South Africa goalkeeper Bontle Molefe kept them at bay.
The win was secured in the first minute of injury-time at the end of the game when the unlucky Dupre turned the ball into his own net from Nare’s cross.
Angola were held goalless in the first half of their semifinal, though they may wonder how with Osvaldo Capemba missing a number of good chances.
He made amends in the second period with a hat-trick though, one from the penalty-spot as the Angolans ran riot.
Gaspar Morais also got his name on the scoresheet, while Zito Luvumbo added a fifth for what was his third goal of the competition.
The Young Palancas Negras were not finished though as Morais added his second and Abdoul Barri provided the cherry on top with a seventh.
Mauritius and Namibia will now have to pick themselves up for Sunday’s third-place play-off to see who will claim the bronze medal.
Namibia were winners of the competition 2016, while Mauritius finished runners-up last year. The match will be played at 11h00 local time (07h00 GMT) at the Stade St Francois Xavier in Port Louis.
The final between two-time winners South Africa and Angola will be played at the same venue at 15h00 (11h00 GMT), with the latter seeking a first ever victory in the regional Under-17 competition.
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Semifinals
South Africa 2 (Motlhalosi Nare, Yohan Dupre og) Mauritius 0
Namibia 0 Angola 7 (Osvaldo Capemba 3, Gaspar Morais 2, Zito Luvumbo, Abdoul Barri)
SUNDAY’S FIXTURES
Third-Place Play-Off
Mauritius vs Namibia (KO 11h00 local, 07h00 GMT) – Stade St Francois Xavier
Final
South Africa vs Angola (KO 15h00 local, 11h00 GMT) – Stade St Francois Xavier
FINAL STANDINGS
*Standings are decided on a head-to-head basis in the first instance
Group A P W D L GF GA Pts
Namibia (Q) 3 2 0 1 10 4 6
Mauritius (Q) 3 2 0 1 7 2 6
Botswana 3 2 0 1 3 3 6
Seychelles 3 0 0 3 5 16 0
Group B P W D L GF GA Pts
South Africa (Q) 3 2 1 0 6 2 7
Zambia 3 1 1 1 2 2 4
Mozambique 3 1 1 1 3 5 4
Lesotho 3 0 1 2 1 3 1
Group C P W D L GF GA Pts
Angola (Q) 3 3 0 0 7 1 9
Malawi 3 2 0 1 6 1 6
Swaziland 3 1 0 2 3 7 3
Zimbabwe 3 0 0 3 3 10 0
TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 20
Goals scored: 65
Biggest victory: Namibia 0 Angola 7 (Semifinals, July 27)
Most goals in a game: 11 – Namibia 8 Seychelles 3 (Group A, July 19)
GOALSCORERS
5 goals – Prins Tjiueza (Namibia)
3 – Osvaldo Capemba (Angola), Tyrin George (Namibia), Zito Luvumbo (Angola)
2 – David Aristide (Mauritius), Abdoul Barri (Angola), Pablo Bechardas (Mozambique), Thando Buthelezi (South Africa), Oageng Maphorisa (Botswana), Patrick Mwaungulu (Malawi), Motlhalosi Nare (South Africa), Rino Pauline (Seychelles), Bandile Shabangu (Swaziland), Jarrel Suzette (Seychelles)
1 – Afandi Aboudou (Seychelles), Domingos Andrade (Angola), Mthokozisi Balakasi (South Africa), John Bonomali (Zimbabwe), Jose Cabingano (Angola), Langelihle Dlamini (Swaziland), Ian Genave (Mauritius), Jean Gentil (Mauritius), Vincent Kalinda (Zambia), Edmar Kamatuka (Namibia), Jeremy Kawoa (Mauritius), Tebogo Kopelang (Botswana), Tapiwa Mandinyenya (Zimbabwe), Tatenda Mbalaka (Malawi), Lovemore Mbeta (Malawi), Emmanuel Mitole (Malawi), Gaspar Morais (Angola), Francis Mtoso (Malawi), Netinho (Angola), Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya (Zimbabwe), David Nzanza (Angola), Louis Philibert (Mauritius), Boitumelo Radiopane (South Africa), Kananelo Rapuleng (Lesotho), Benson Simwanda (Zambia), Bongolwethu Siyasi (South Africa), Gonzales Tsuseb (Namibia), José Zavala (Mozambique)
Own goal –Yohan Dupre (Mauritius), Adrian Hoareau (Seychelles)
