Chronicle Editor
SOUTH Africa and Mozambique both recorded big wins in their Group A clashes to set up a showdown for top spot next week as the Cosafa Qualifiers for Total U-20 Afcon, Mauritania 2021 provided plenty of goals yesterday.
South Africa hammered Lesotho 7-0 to send them tumbling out of the competition after back-to-back defeats, and sound an emphatic warning of their potential in the remainder of the tournament.
Lesotho were behind early when captain Thapelo Mohale turned the ball into his own net, before Rowan Human added a second for the home side.
Two goals either side of halftime from Sinenjongo Mkiva and Oswin Appollis sealed the points for the South Africans, before Mkiva profited from a goalkeeping error to add a fifth midway through the half.
He then completed his hat-trick with a neat turn and finish to add the cherry on top of a dominant performance, but there was still time for a strike by Tshepo Myeni as he scored from close-range.
Mozambique set up their showdown with South Africa in Group A after a 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe that likely ends the latter’s chances of reaching the semi-finals.
Zimbabwe had the greater of the play, but Mozambique used their chances better and goals from Simon Cipriano and Gabriel Pinho sealed the victory.
It leaves them on six points from their two games, and needing just a draw when they clash with hosts South Africa tomorrow to book a place in the semi-finals.
Angola claimed a 4-0 victory over Botswana in Group C to keep their semi-finals hopes alive, though they must now hope Botswana defeat Eswatini in their final game tomorrow.
Eswatini still lead the pool on head-to-head after they beat Angola in their opener, but the latter came to life against Botswana as a brace each for last year’s top-scorer Ambrosini Salvador and Tangu Gastao saw them improve their goal-difference markedly.
Only the top team in each pool as well as best-placed runner-up advance to the semi-finals, while the two finalists at this year’s competition will win a place at the 2021 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations.
In order to make the best runner-up place calculation fair, the results against the bottom teams in Groups A and B will be discarded, keeping the likes of Angola in Group C in the running.
Action continues today with two games in Group B, which is expected to be closely fought after a tight opening round of games.
Malawi and Zambia both won their openers by narrow 1-0 score lines and will hope for something similar this time round.
Comoros came close to hold Malawi in their opener but conceded deep into injury-time at the end of the game, and now take on Zambia in the early game at 12h30.
It is a must-win if they are to keep their semifinal hopes alive, while defending champions Zambia will hope for a more clinical performance and go into the final game against Malawi with their destiny in their own hands.
Namibia and Malawi clash in the later kick-off at 15h30, with both having impressed with their qualities in their first games, even if Namibia’s ended in a loss to Zambia.
Yesterday’s results
Group A
Mozambique 2 (Cipriano 57th min, Pinho 85th min) Zimbabwe 0
Lesotho 0 South Africa 7 (Mohale 6th min og, Human 17th min, Mkiva 43th min, 62th min, 86th min, Appollis 46th min, Myeni 90th min)
Group C
Botswana 0 Angola 4 (Salvador 43th min pen, 90th min, Gastao 66th min, 90th min)
Standings
Group A
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Mozambique 2 2 0 0 3 0 3 6
South Africa 2 1 1 0 9 2 7 4
Zimbabwe 2 0 1 1 2 4 -2 1
Lesotho 2 0 0 2 0 8 -8 0
Group B
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Malawi 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3
Zambia 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3
Comoros 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0
Namibia 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0
Group C
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Eswatini 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3
Angola 2 1 0 1 4 1 3 3
Botswana 1 0 0 1 0 4 -4 0
— Cosafa
Online Reporter