Flames falter late as Lesotho snatch COSAFA cup opener in Bloemfontein

Malawi’s 2025 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup campaign got off to a stuttering start on Thursday afternoon as a late strike from Lesotho’s Makara Ntaitsane condemned the Flames to a narrow 1-0 defeat at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.

A match that promised much in the early stages ended in disappointment for the Malawians, who dominated large spells of possession but were ultimately punished for a lapse in concentration in the dying minutes.

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Peter Mponda’s charges came into the tournament with ambition and belief, and the opening exchanges mirrored that optimism.

The Flames were bright in midfield, with Chikumbutso Salima and Wisdom Mpinganjira providing width and energy down the flanks. Their deliveries into the box were persistent, but striker Zeliati Nkhoma found himself isolated and unable to capitalize.

Despite their attacking intent, Malawi lacked bite in the final third, failing to seriously test Lesotho goalkeeper Mosoeu Seahlolo throughout the first half. On the other end, the Crocodiles’ own offensive threats were limited, although they nearly found a breakthrough via a set-piece after William Silwimba conceded a foul in a dangerous area.

However, George Chikooka remained largely untroubled in the Flames’ goal.

The second half saw a shift in momentum. Lesotho came out of the tunnel reinvigorated, pressing higher and showing more urgency. But Malawi’s defensive quartet of Blessings Mpokera, McDonald Lameck, Maxwell Paipi, and Timothy Silwimba initially held firm under pressure.

However, the Flames’ resolve took a hit when captain Paipi was forced off through injury midway through the second half. His replacement, Andrew Jovinala, was immediately thrust into action, while Promise Kamwendo also came on to add freshness up front, replacing Nkhoma.

Malawi responded with a series of attacks. Lameck and Patrick Gumbo combined neatly down the right to create a promising opening, only for Seahlolo to snuff out the threat with a commanding save.
Then came the moment that silenced the Malawian bench.

Against the run of play, Lesotho won a free-kick in a central area. As the ball was floated into the box, Ntaitsane timed his run to perfection, beating the offside trap and slamming home past Chikooka.

The goal was subjected to a lengthy VAR review, with anxious faces on both benches, but after three tense minutes, the goal was upheld, sparking wild celebrations in the Lesotho camp.

With time running out, Malawi made two more substitutions — Gaddie Chirwa and Blessings Singini coming on to inject pace and energy — but it was too little, too late. Lesotho held on to their slender lead, dealing the Flames an early blow in their quest to progress from Group B.

After the match, assistant coach Peter Mponda voiced his frustration at the way the game slipped through their fingers.

“It was an evenly balanced game with not too many chances,” said Mponda. “We were good in possession, but too slow going forward and lacked numbers in the box. 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.

“Yes, in terms of possession, we dominated, but we were not getting the ball into areas where we could have hurt Lesotho. We were holding the ball in midfield, which made it comfortable for them to let us play.
“We didn’t have enough numbers in the attacking third. Like I said, it was a very tight game, and the goal went to Lesotho. I have to congratulate them.”

The Flames will now turn their attention to Sunday’s crucial encounter against Namibia, who played out a 1-1 draw with Angola in the group’s other fixture. With little room for error, Malawi will need to sharpen their attacking edge and rediscover their defensive discipline to keep their COSAFA Cup hopes alive.