Malawi bow out of COSAFA Cup with defeat to Angola

Malawi’s National Football Team, the Flames, concluded their 2025 COSAFA Cup campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Angola at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Tuesday. The result sees Malawi eliminated from the tournament, finishing at the bottom of Group B with just one point.

Having lost their opening match to Lesotho and drawn against Namibia, the Flames went into their final group stage fixture desperately seeking a win to salvage their tournament hopes. Despite a spirited performance that showcased their intent, the team was ultimately left disappointed with the outcome.

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Coach Kalisto Pasuwa maintained the same lineup that faced Namibia, and Malawi displayed a gallant fight in the first half. The team showed early promise, particularly down the right flank where Gaddie Chirwa and Mcdonald Lameck combined effectively. Within the first 10 minutes, Malawi registered two attempts on goal, followed by two corner kicks within the first 15. However, their Achilles’ heel – profligacy in front of goal – once again proved costly.

A notable chance arose when Gaddie Chirwa outsmarted his marker on the right, forcing a save from Angola’s goalkeeper. The rebound fell to Wisdom Mpinganjira, who laid it off to Chawanangwa Gumbo, but his effort blazed over the bar. Angola did create two chances from set-plays, but the towering Blessings Mpokera and goalkeeper George Chikooka were alert, ensuring the ball stayed out of the net. Chirwa’s later effort was also palmed away by Angola’s goalie, and Blessings Singini forced a splendid save from Neblu with a fantastic volley from the edge of the box. Malawi effectively kept Angola at bay, with Chikooka largely untested throughout the first 45 minutes.

However, the second half started with a setback for the Flames. Angola broke the deadlock with their first attempt on target. From a corner kick, the delivery found Randy Nteka, who bundled it home in the 48th minute.

Malawi were then dealt a blow when Blessings Singini suffered an injury after colliding with an opponent and was replaced by Oscar Petro. Gaddie Chirwa also made way for Olson Kanjira in the 62nd minute. Despite conceding early in the second half, Malawi pushed hard for an equaliser, with Wongani Lungu and Zeliati Nkhoma being introduced for Chawanangwa Gumbo and Promise Kamwendo, respectively. However, further attempts to level the score proved futile as Angola held on for the win.

With this defeat, Malawi concludes the group stages with just one point, finishing at the bottom of Group B. Meanwhile, Angola have successfully progressed to the last four, having accumulated seven points from their group matches.

Speaking after the game, Assistant Coach Mponda acknowledged the team’s good performance but lamented their inability to convert created chances. Mponda highlighted the positive aspect of the tournament, emphasizing its role in exposing players to international competition and aiding in the ongoing team-building process for the future. “It was a good tournament, more especially we are building a new team, we are still building, it gives us a feeling of how it is out there, it also gave exposure to the young ones who are up-and-coming,” explained Mponda.

However, Mponda expressed his worry that despite the team playing well, their struggle to capitalize on scoring opportunities makes the results more painful, as opponents have punished them with the slightest chances presented throughout the tournament.