The Junior Flames, Malawi’s Under-15 boys’ team missed out on a bronze medal and a place at next year’s continental finals after losing 4-3 on penalties to Eswatini in the third-place match of the 2025 CAF African Schools Championship COSAFA Qualifiers in Cape Town.
The match ended 1-1 in regulation time. Eswatini took the lead in the 25th minute through Junior Sivikelwe Sibandze, before Takudzwa Maluwa equalised for Malawi ten minutes later.
With no further goals, the match went into a penalty shootout where Eswatini converted four of their spot kicks through Mawandze Simelane, Anele Dlamini, Samkelo Tsabedze and Melokhale Shiba.
Malawi scored three via Takudzwa Maluwa, Sipho Ngwira and Lameck Kamanga, but two misses proved costly.
The result came on a day when Malawi’s girls’ team defeated Zimbabwe to win bronze, but the boys were unable to replicate that success.
Speaking after the match, Malawi head coach Joseph Malizani said the team gave everything but fell short in the crucial moments.
“It was an open game against Eswatini and both teams played well,” he said.
“We went to penalties, and it ended in favour of our opponents. It has been a great experience that has given the boys good exposure. Looking at how we played, I am hopeful that in the next tournament we will do better.”
“It was an open game against Eswatini.”
Joseph Malizani
Malawi head coach
