Defending champions Zambia picked up their first points of the 2023 HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Comoros at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.
Malawi made it two wins from two when they claimed a 2-0 victory over Seychelles in the second game of the day and stay in pole positions for the semifinals with a clash against Comoros to come.
Malawi head the pool with six points from two games, followed by Zambia and Comoros (both three points), and Seychelles, who have yet to break their duck.
Only the top team in each pool qualifies automatically for the semifinals along with the best-placed runner-up, so there is little margin for error.
Zambia took the lead against Comoros with a beautiful goal on 51 minutes.
Some intricate passing on the edge of the islanders’ box led toFredrick Mulambia unleashing a low drive that went in off the post.
But Comoros equalised 15 minutes later when hesitation between defender and goalkeeper at the back for Zambia allowedAffane Djambae to nip in and score into an unguarded net.
The Comoros forward became the first player in this year’s tournament to score more than once.
But Zambia would not be denied as Golden Mashata was played into space behind the Comoros defence and his cross provided a tap-in for Albert Kangwanda to make it 2-1, a lead they held to the end.
Malawi had to be patient against Seychelles, but took the lead on 55 minutes with a well-worked goal.
Chawanangwa Kaonga showed good strength to hold off a defender and crossed for Lanjesi Nkhoma to head home unopposed by the retreating Seychelles defence.
The second goal came 10 minutes later and ended the game as a contest. Seychelles goalkeeper Jean Paul Lesperance could only parry a low shot into the path of Jacama Kumwembe, who had an easy task to score from four yards.
The competition continues on Monday, but at a new venue in the princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, where the second round of games in Group C will be played.
Angola will hope for victory when they meet Mauritius at 15h00 CAT having drawn their first game against Mozambique.
Angola do not have an unblemished record against Mauritius, though it is fairly one-sided. In the five previous meetings they have won four to go with a single defeat in 2016. That was part of a run of three tournaments in a row in which they clashed, with Angola winning the next two games by 1-0 scorelines.
Mozambique take on Lesotho, the only side in the pool to have picked up a win in the first round of games. That match is at 18h00 CAT.
Mozambique are unbeaten against Lesotho (W1 D2) but the teams have not clashed since 2006, with their previous two clashes ending 0-0.