After winning all their previous games in the tournament, the Mozambican team lost to Senegal by 83-71.
Senegal’s advantage came entirely in the first quarter of the game, which it won by 25 points to 10. The Mozambicans fought back, but never recovered from this initial setback, only cutting the eventual margin of the Senegalese victory from 15 to 13 points.
In the other semi-final, Angola beat Nigeria by 70-55. The final, between Angola and Senegal, will be played on Sunday evening, preceded by the match between Mozambique and Nigeria to determine the bronze medal.
Also on Saturday, the Mozambican women’s football team went down to a crushing defeat at the hands of Algeria, losing by seven goals to one.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the Mozambican team is that one of the players is Maria de Lurdes Mutola – the former world and Olympic 800 metre champion. After ending her athletics career, Mutola has returned to her first love, football. It was Mutola who scored the only goal for Mozambique, when she equalised in the 42nd minute.
At half time the score was 1-1, but in the second half Algeria dominated the match scoring no fewer than six goals.
In the men’s football, Mozambique lost to Ghana by four goals to three. At the end of the first half the game seemed hopelessly lost, with Ghana winning 3-0. The Mozambican team fought back strongly in the second half, but not enough to avoid defeat.
In the men’s handball, Cameroon beat Madagascar by 35 to 21, and Senegal beat Gabon by 26 points to 22, while in the women’s handball Angola beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 41-17, and Congo beat Madagascar 35-11.
Meanwhile, in the canoeing and kayak events, South Africa, Angola, Senegal and Tunisia have ensured their qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
In Saturday morning’s 1,000 metre single canoe Olympic qualification final, Calvim Mokoto of South Africa won, in a time of 4 minutes, 19 seconds, followed by Ndiate Geuye of Senegal (4 minutes and 25 seconds) and Alerio Victor of Angola (5 minutes and 1 second).
The 1,000 metre canoe double Olympic qualification race was won by the two Angolans, Nelson Henriques and Fortunato Pacavira, in a time of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, followed by South Africans Calvin Mokoto and Cyprian Ngidi (4 minutes and 44 seconds), The third pair in this race, from Kenya, failed to finish.
Victory in the men’s 1000 metre single kayak Olympic qualification final went to Mohamed Ali Mrabet (in 3 minutes, 33 seconds), narrowly ahead of Shaun Rubenstein of South Africa (3 minutes, 38 seconds). In third position was Goudiam Fall of Senegal (4 minutes, 4 seconds).
Another Tunisian, Alef Ben Ismail, won the women’s 500 metre single kayak Olympic qualifying race in 2 minutes and 7 seconds, followed by Khatia Ba of Senegal, who was just one second behind her. In third position was Diana Natecho of Kenya (2 minutes, 15 seconds).
Canoeing is the only one of the 21 sports in the games taking place outside greater Maputo. The canoe and kayak races are being held on a lake in the resort of Chidenguele, in Gaza province.
Post published in: Sport