Marcel Zimba scored the only goal as Zambia opened their TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Algeria 2023 | COSAFA Qualifier campaign with a narrow Group B victory over Mozambique at the Bingu National Stadium on Saturday.
The hard-fought contest was decided 10 minutes into the second period when Zimba provided a neat finish to secure the three points for his side.
South Africa earlier laid down a marker of their potential with an 11-0 victory over Seychelles in the other match in the pool.
The excellent Siyabonga Mabena scored five goals as the South Africans romped to the win, helped too by their captain Benjamin Wallis, who scored a hattrick despite playing as a centre-back. The last of his goals was a penalty.
There were also strikes by Dhakier Lee, Bennet Mokoena and Xhosa Manyana in the massive win.
The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals, with the two finalists in this year’s competition earning a spot at the TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Algeria 2023 in April next year.
Group A action will resume on Sunday with a single fixture as Malawi take on Namibia (15h30 CAT kick-off). Malawi drew 2-2 with Botswana in their opening game on Friday.
Meanwhile, South Africa sealed their place in the COSAFA Girls’ Under-17 Championship semifinals in emphatic style as they cantered to a 12-0 victory over Namibia, with no less than nine players getting on the scoresheet.
Olwethu Sosibo, Nobahle Mdelwa and Andrielle Mibe all grabbed a brace of goals in the big win, with the latter moving to the top of the scorers charts with four goals in two games.
It is South Africa’s second win of the competition, which ensured they will finish top of Group A, with Malawi and Namibia to do battle for second spot on Monday. On the face of their two games so far, the host nation look favourites for the win, but a draw will be enough for them to advance on goal-difference.
Botswana took a huge step towards a semifinals themselves when they defeated Comoros 8-0 in their second Group B game.
Having lost 5-0 to Zambia in their opener, Botswana have now moved into second place and will be in the final four unless Comoros pull off a shock result against the Young Copper Queens in the final match in the three-team pool on Monday (10h00 CAT kick-off).
Lotang Ebineng netted a hattrick for Botswana against the islanders, to go with a brace for Katlo Ditsile, and further strikes from Mbapeua Hangara, Palesa Mokopakgosi and Lebogang Dilelo.
Both Boys’ and Girls’ competitions are being played as part of the Region 5 Games Lilongwe 2022.
All matches will be streamed live on COSAFA.TV and FIFA+, and you can get a full rundown of the Girls’ fixtures right here, and the Boys’ matches here.
We will also be providing coverage across our multitude of social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube – where we will provide news and behind-the-scenes features from Lilongwe.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
COSAFA GIRLS’ UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP
Group B
Comoros 0 Botswana 8 (Lotang Ebineng 8′, 44′, 87′, Katlo Ditsile 34′, 55′, Mbapeua Hangara 41′, Palesa Mokopakgosi 42′, Lebogang Dilelo 90′)
Group A
Namibia 0 South Africa 12 (Gositang Motshegwe 2′, Sinazo Ntshota 4’, Ntando Phahla 13’, Olwethu Sosibo 31’, 64, Nobahle Mdelwa 32’, 48′, Andrielle Mibe 43’, 46′, Julia Goncalves 71’, Tatiana Correia 81’, Naledi Nkosi 89’)
TOTALENERGIES U17 AFCON ALGERIA 2023 | COSAFA QUALIFIER
Group B
Seychelles 0 South Africa 11 (Siyabonga Mabena 4′, 9′, 26′, 45′, 74′, Dhakier Lee 10′, Bennet Mokoena 25′, Benjamin Wallis 48′, 52′, 90’pen, Xhosa Manyana 57′)
Zambia 1 (Marcel Zimba 55’) Mozambique 0
SUNDAY’S FIXTURES
TOTALENERGIES U17 AFCON ALGERIA 2023 | COSAFA QUALIFIER
Group A
15h30 CAT (13h30 GMT): Malawi vs Namibia – Bingu National Stadium
TOTALENERGIES U17 AFCON ALGERIA 2023 | COSAFA QUALIFIER STATISTICS
Matches Played: 3
Goals scored: 16
Biggest victory: Seychelles 0 South Africa 11 (Group B, December 3)
Most goals in a game: 11 – Seychelles 0 South Africa 11 (Group B, December 3)
STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Botswana | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Malawi | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Namibia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| South Africa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| Zambia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Mozambique | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Seychelles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | -11 | 0 |
GOALSCORERS
5 goals – Siyabonga Mabena (South Africa)
3 – Benjamin Wallis (South Africa)
1 – Vincent Harrison (Malawi), Dhakier Lee (South Africa), Xhosa Manyana (South Africa), Mwisho Mhango (Malawi), Bennet Mokoena (South Africa), Losika Ratshukudu (Botswana), Marcel Zimba (Zambia)
Own Goal – Julius Banda (Malawi)
COSAFA GIRLS’ UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS
Matches Played: 4
Goals scored: 30
Biggest victory: Namibia 0 South Africa 12 (Group A, December 3)
Most goals in a game: 12 – Namibia 0 South Africa 12 (Group A, December 3)
STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| South Africa (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 15 | 6 |
| Malawi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
| Namibia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | -12 | 0 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Zambia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| Botswana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Comoros | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | -8 | 0 |
GOALSCORERS
4 goals – Andrielle Mibe (South Africa),
3 – Lotang Ebineng (Botswana), Nobahle Mdelwa (South Africa)
2 – Bwalya Chileshe (Zambia), Katlo Ditsile (Botswana), Olwethu Sosibo (South Africa)
1 – Tatiana Correia (South Africa), Lebogang Dilelo (Botswana), Julia Goncalves (South Africa), Mbapeua Hangara (Botswana), Harriet Matipa (Zambia), Mary Mbalangwe (Malawi), Khutso Mogano (South Africa), Palesa Mokopakgosi (Botswana), Gositang Motshegwe (South Africa), Naledi Nkosi (South Africa), Sinazo Ntshota (South Africa), Ntando Phahla (South Africa), Jessy Zulu (Zambia), Zangose Zulu (Zambia)
Carton de l’Afrique du Sud sur les deux tableaux
L’équipe féminine d’Afrique du Sud est devenue la première formation à se qualifier pour le prochain tour du COSAFA Girls’ U17 Championship. Les Sud-Africaines ont atomisé la Namibie 12-0 dans une rencontre à sens unique. Le Botswana s’est, lui bien racheté en se promenant devant les Comores (8-0). Au tableau masculin, l’Afrique du Sud et la Zambie ont été les grands gagnants.
L’Afrique du Sud a notamment pu compter sur les doublés de Sobiso, Mdelwa et Mibe pour maitriser cette rencontre. Ensuite, Motshegwe, Ntshota, Phahla, Goncalves, Correia et Nkosi ont donné plus de relief à ce match où les Sud-Africaines n’ont jamais douté. Son impact dans le jeu et ses deux réalisations ont convaincu les observateurs et c’est sans aucun doute qu’Andrielle Miba a été élue joueuse du match.
Le Botswana n’a eu aucun mal à se défaire des Comores non plus. Les Botswanaises se sont notamment reposées sur Ebineng, auteure d’un triplé (8e, 44e et 87e). Ditsile a également largement contribué à cette victoire grâce à son doublé à la 34e et à la 55e minute. Hangara, Mokopakgosi et Dilelo ont aussi apporté leur pierre à l’édifice.
Dans la TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Algeria 2023 | COSAFA Qualifier, l’Afrique du Sud a aussi survolé son match. Ses représentants n’ont jamais laissé respirer les Seychelles. Le grand bonhomme de ce match est Mabena qui a marqué un quintuplé. Wallis n’est pas en reste puisqu’il a trouvé le cadre en trois occasions. Au bout du temps réglementaire, Mabena a logiquement été auréolé du titre de joueur du match.
On s’attendait à une explication corsée dans le deuxième match du groupe B entre la Zambie et le Mozambique. Ce fut le cas. Les deux adversaires se sont rendus coup pour coup dans cette rencontre mais ce sont bien les Young Chipolopolos qui ont eu le dernier mot dans cette rencontre. Cela grâce à une unique réalisation de Marcel Zumba à la 56e minute. En fin de match, c’est le Zambien Aaron Phiri qui a été élu homme du match pour son abattage en milieu de terrain.
Ce dimanche, une seule rencontre est au programme. Elle concerne la TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Algeria 2023 | COSAFA Qualifier. Ainsi, la Namibie effectuera son entrée en lice dans cette compétition à 15h30 contre le Malawi. Un match qui s’insère dans le cadre du groupe A. Le Malawi a perdu son premier match vendredi et sera dans l’obligation de se racheter pour éviter de prendre la porte de sortie alors que les Namibiens tenteront de démarrer idéalement leur campagne.
A noter que toutes les rencontres sont à suivre en streaming sur COSAFA.TV et sur FIFA+. Retrouvez également les faits de matchs, les photos du jour, les vidéos insolites ainsi que les résultats sur toutes nos plateformes numériques, à savoir Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok et YouTube.
Mabena faz histórica “manita” … Zâmbia triunfa!
O atacante Syabonga Mabena (4’ , 9´, 26’ 45+2 e 74´) entrou para a história ao marcar, hoje, cinco golos (manita), na goleada por 11-0, que a selecção da África do Sul impos a sua congénere das Seychelles, em partida pontuável para a primeira jornada do Grupo B do torneio COSAFA de sub-17 masculino, qualificativo ao TotalEnergies Campeonato Africano das Nações (CAN) Argélia-2023. Um feito não comum nos dias que correm, mas que abre boas perspetivas para os representantes sul-africanos manterem-se firmes na corrida ao CAN!
Por seu turno, a Zâmbia venceu Moçambique graças ao golo solitário de Marcel Zimba apontado a passagem do minuto 56. Com este resultado, África do Sul e Zâmbia partilham os mesmos pontos (3) na pauta classificativa, seguindo respectivamente, Moçambique e Namíbia na terceira e quarta posições sem nenhum ponto.
Anotar que em 2019, a Zâmbia conquistou o seu primeiro título, após vencer Moçambique, por 2-0, na final realizada em Blantyre no Mpira Stadium.
Entretanto, os “Amajimbos”, nome de guerra da África do Sul entraram impiedosos e tiveram o controlo do jogo a seu favor do princípio ao até o final da contenda, perante um adversário impotente e permissivo. Este resultado coloca os
Uma vitória que começou a ser construída a partir do minuto quatro (4), pelo avançado da School of Excellence da África do Sul, Syabonga Mabena
Importa recordar que o Grupo A ficou reduzido a três equipas em virtude de a seleção angolana ter sido afastada da corrida ao CAN devido à adulteração de idades de um dos seus jogadores.
O jogador em causa não escapou nos testes de ressonância magnética para o despiste de falsificação de idade, tendo deste modo violado o regulamento da competição. Este regulamento determina, que, em caso de incumprimento, a equipa infractora deve ser retirada com efeitos imediatos da competição.
O Grupo A entra em acção amanhã, com a realização de apenas de uma partida que envolverá as seleções do anfitrião Malawi e Namíbia (15.30 horas).
Amanhã será a vez do Grupo B entrar em cena, sendo que as Seychelles terão pela frente a África do Sul, às 15.30 horas, enquanto mais tarde, a Zâmbia e Moçambique terão o encontro marcado às18.30 horas, no Bingu National Stadium, local que também irá acolher o primeiro embate.
Recordar que a África do Sul lidera a lista das nações com mais títulos (3), seguindo a Zâmbia e Angola com dois cada. Com apenas um troféu nas suas prateleiras, estão as selecções do Malawi (2001), Namíbia (2016) e Zimbabwe (2007).
Segundo o Regulamento da prova, as equipas estão divididas em dois grupos (A e B), sendo que o primeiro classificado do Grupo A disputará as meias-finais com o segundo melhor classificado do Grupo A, sendo que o vencedor do Grupo B cruzará com o segundo melhor classificado do Grupo B.
