Malawi squandered a two-goal lead to settle for a 2-2 draw that tasted like defeat to Zimbabwe at Isaac Wolfson Stadium in South Africa on Thursday afternoon.
The Flames had a dream start to the Group B contest, leading 1-0 at half-time courtesy of striker Khuda Muyaba’s first-ever goal in the national team colours.
Muyaba volleyed the ball into the net in the 27th minute after connecting a Vitumbiko Kumwenda’s cut-back from the right after the Mighty Wanderers’ man had received Chimwemwe Idana’s through ball.
In the second-half, attacker Schumacher Kuwali added the second goal for the Flames when he got to the end of Muhammad Sulumba’s pass to place his effort past goalkeeper Washington Arubi at the near post in the 50th minute.
Sensing danger, Zimbabwe coach Zdravko Logarusic made changes which paid dividends when Blessing Sarupinda scored in the 62nd minute with an easy tap-in following a deflection across the goal-mouth off Malawi goalkeeper Ernest Kakhobwe.
The Malawi keeper had made a double save to deny Zimbabwe captain Ovidy Karuru at the near post after the Flames defender Nixon Nyasulu’s cleared the ball in a straight line to the opponents.
With 11 minutes to full-time, another Patrick Musaka completed Zimbabwe’s comeback by scoring from a free-kick after a series of defensive blunders by Malawi.
The Warriors scored just after Malawi coach Meck Mwase had substituted Idana, injured Sulumba and Kuwali for Mike Mkwate, Ndaziona Chatsalira and Micium Mhone respectively.
Bringing all attacking players instead of defensive ones to manage the game proved a gamble that backfired for Mwase.
In the end, Karuru was named man-of-the match, but he was far from happy with the overall result coming after a goalless result against Mozambique earlier this week.
“I can’t be happy receiving the man-of-the-match award without winning the game…we can’t go two games without winning a game. We created a number of chances but we didn’t take them,” he told SuperSport Television in a post-match interview.
Next, Malawi date Mozambique on Sunday. Malawi has one point just like Mozambique in the group which Namibia lead on three points after having stunned Senegal 2-1 on Thursday.
The Flames are using the tournament to fine-tune for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations finals and the World Cup qualifiers.
The tournament runs up to July 18 and has pooled 10 teams divided into two groups of five each with the top two set to qualify for the semifinals.
Starting line-ups:
Malawi: Ernest Kakhobwe, Stanley Sanudi, Chembezi Denis, Nixon Nyasulu, Mark Fodya, Vitumbiko Kumwenda, Chikoti Chirwa, Chimwemwe Idana, Schumacher Kuwali, Muhammad Sulumba, Khuda Muyaba
Zimbabwe: Washington Arubi, Lennox Mucheto, Qadr Amini, Macclive Phiri, Carlos Mavhurume, King Nadolo, Blessing Sarupinda, Ovidy Karuru, Richard Hachiro, Patrick Musaka, Jimmy Dzingai