Hosts Mozambique suffered a shock set-back when they were narrowly defeated 5-4 by neighbours Eswatini in exciting encounter at the CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier Mozambique on Thursday.
Zimbabwe and Botswana shared the spoils in the opening game of the tournament earlier in the day as the race for a place at the continental finals got off to a thrilling start.
The first day produced 11 goals giving the soccer fanatics something to celebrate in the stands, with the two finalists at this year’s qualifier heading to the continental championships in 2025.
Zimbabwe and Botswana finished 1-1 after the game started at a low pace. It took 20 minutes for a shot on target as Botswana defender Perfect Nfhandiso struck from long range but Zimbabwe goalkeeper Joseph Kaunda was equal to the task.
Zimbabwe responded eight minutes later with a well struck goal from outside the 18-yard box as Enock Njabulo Moyo make the score 1-0.
The Botswana attacking mentality finally paid off on 74 minutes when Philip Kaku level the score from a cut back.
The crossbar denied Botswana a lead following a rocket short from Ratshukudu as his attempt crashed against the upright. An attempt from Zimbabwe’s Nisbet Muzenda in the referee’s optional time also hit the woodwork as the game ended all square.
The nine-goal thriller in the second game of the day, Mozambique’s Kelvio Neves broke the deadlock when he headed home from Edvaldo Junior’s cross to give his side the lead in the 19th minute.
Even though Eswatini were on a back foot they patiently knocked the ball around trying to find space to open up their opponents.
Their patience finally paid off after the 35 minutes when they caught Mozambique on a counter and Phiwayinkhosi Dube coolly converted a chance to level the score at 1-1.
Just two minutes after the equaliser, Alakhe Mdluli’s individual brilliance saw him dribbling past the home defender before he chipped the ball past a diving goalkeeper to give his side a 2-1 lead.
Eswatini made a fast start to the second half as they scored their third goal through the boot of Njoko Mazibuko, who capitalised from a communication error between the goalkeeper and his defence.
Mdluli proved to be a danger to the home team defence and he registered his second goal to make the score 4-1 to Eswatini after the 53 minutes.
Mozambique was awarded a penalty shortly afterwards after a handball. The skipper Fernando Jose coolly converted from the spot to make the score 4-2.
The fighting spirit by the home team saw them reduce the deficit when Neves jumped high to meet Chumman Muianga’s corner-kick on 61 minutes.
But any thoughts of a comeback were dashed when Malwande Gwebu volleyed his shot into the top corner after he received a powerful cross from Mdluli to increase the lead to 5-3.
In the dying seconds, Mozambique’s Yuran Seia scored from long range short as the keeper Awu made a mistake to gift the host a goal five minutes into injury-time, but it was too little, too late.
On day two of the competition on Friday, Comoros and Lesotho clash at 12h00 in Group C.
The game will be followed by what is expected to be a mouthwatering contest when the defending champions Zambia faces Angola in a Group B encounter at 15h00.
At the same time South Africa will lock horns with Malawi in another Group C clash.