IN PICS | 2021 COSAFA Beach Soccer Championship
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
The 2021 COSAFA Beach Soccer Championship started on Wednesday with SA beating Seychelles 4-1.
Six countries — SA, Mozambique, Angola, Tanzania, Seychelles and Comoros — participated in the tournament.
Mozambique will face Tanzania in the final after both won through tough semifinal fixtures at Durban’s South Beach on Friday.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
The match will be played on Sunday (kickoff 15h00 CAT) and is a repeat of their epic 4-4 draw in the group phase that was eventually won on penalties by the Mozambicans. Mozambique rallied from 3-1 down to defeat hosts SA 5-3 in the first semifinal, living up to their billing as pre-tournament favourites.
They were assisted by a red card shown to SA’s Minenhle Ndlovu, who had already netted twice for the home side before being given his marching orders. Nduduzo Phakathi scored the other goal for the South Africans as he took his tally in the tournament to five.
But a hat-trick from the excellent Nelson Manuel, and further goals from Rachide Smith and Ramosette Cumbe, gave the Mozambicans a comfortable win in the end.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
'Manuel's goals take him to the top of the scorers chart with six in the competition so far. Angola were perhaps the more fancied side going into their semifinal, but found themselves 4-0 down against Tanzania, who were much the brighter of the teams in the opening two periods.
The goals were largely self-inflicted for the Angolans, with defensive errors and goalkeeper howlers as Stephano Mapunda (two), Abdulkadir Tabib, Ibrahim Hassani and Jaruph Juma were on target for the Tanzanians.
The player known as End-Cole scored twice for Angola to keep their interest alive. Comoros won the Plate Final as they overcame an early surge from Seychelles to edge their rivals 5-4 in the battle of the islanders.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu