HARARE- MALAWI crashed out of the regional Cosafa Senior Challenge tournament after they were beaten 1-0 by Mozambique in the quarter-finals at Rufaro.Malawi have been runners up in two Cosafa Castle Cup competitions, reaching the final for the first time in 2002 and then making the final again the following year. Although they were beaten in both legs of the finals by South Africa and Zimbabwe respectively, the Flames have shown they are a building side to be reckoned with in the future.
Malawi did beat past winners Angola and Zambia on their way to the final in 2002 and the next year disposed of Zambia again on penalties.
But they were sent packing by a determined Mozambique. The Mambas of Mozambique took more than a decade to finally reach the final of the Cosafa Senior Challenge, but lost last years decider to hosts South Africa. Past finalists at the African Cup of Nations , the country were recognised by FIFA as the best mover up in the monthly rankings run by the world soccer governing body in 2007.
Mozambique were semi-finalists in the 2004 Cosafa Castle Cup, beating both Madagascar and Malawi in earlier round encounters before losing at home to Angola in the last four.
It was Mozambiques best performance since they finished third in 1997 and when they were fifth place finishers in 1998.
Post published in: Football