Angola, Namibia draw breathes new life into Malawi’s COSAFA Cup hopes

The 2025 HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup in Mangaung | Bloemfontein delivered a dramatic twist on Thursday evening as defending champions Angola were held to a 1-1 draw by a spirited Namibia side — a result that inadvertently threw a lifeline to Malawi’s fading hopes of a semifinal berth.

Angola, fresh from their 2024 triumph, looked to have done just enough to grind out a gritty win at the Toyota Stadium when last year’s Golden Boot winner, Depu, slotted home a 90th-minute penalty.

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The goal, confirmed via the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), not only put Angola ahead but also etched Depu’s name into the record books as his sixth career goal made him Angola’s all-time top scorer in COSAFA Cup history.

But Namibia, refusing to roll over, delivered a dramatic late twist. In the seventh minute of added time, towering defender Ivan Kamberipa rose majestically to nod in a late equaliser, sparking wild celebrations on the Brave Warriors’ bench and denying Angola a winning start.

The defending champions had earlier been reduced to 10 men after Randy Nteka was shown red on the hour mark – another decision sealed after VAR intervention.

The result left Group B delicately poised, and perhaps most importantly for Malawi, it kept their knockout stage hopes on life support.

Earlier in the day, the Flames endured a heartbreaking start to their campaign as they fell 1-0 to Lesotho, courtesy of a gut-punch of a late goal from Makara Ntaitsane.

Despite dictating the tempo for large stretches and showing promise in possession, Malawi were punished for a momentary lapse in concentration. A defensive miscue in the final moments allowed Ntaitsane to pounce, silencing the Malawian fans in the stadium.

“We were good in possession, but too slow going forward and lacked numbers in the box,” lamented head coach Peter Mponda after the match.

“That goal was down to a lapse in concentration — all our defenders went for the same ball, and the deflection fell kindly to Lesotho. It’s painful, but now we must regroup and find a way to bounce back.”

Now, the Flames turn their full focus to Sunday’s do-or-die clash against Namibia.

Sitting bottom of Group B, nothing short of a win will suffice. To keep their semifinal dreams alive, Malawi must collect maximum points from their remaining two fixtures while hoping that Lesotho — now sitting top of the group — falter in their final two outings.

It’s a tough ask, but not an impossible one.
As things stand, Group B is wide open. The late drama between Angola and Namibia has thrown the group into chaos — and in tournament football, chaos often breeds opportunity.