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Malawi’s U20 head coach, Bob Mpingajira, has opened up about the impact of their senior team’s loss to Harambee Stars in the Four Nations tournament, stating that it left them with a bitter taste, and losing to the Rising Stars was never an option.

After suffering a 4-0 defeat against Harambee Stars in the Four Nations semi-final on Saturday, Malawi’s Junior Flames managed to avoid a double loss by defeating Kenya’s Rising Stars 3-1, clinching the U20 category title.

Malawi bitter

Reflecting on the match, Mpinganjira expressed the pain of witnessing their senior team’s defeat to Kenya and revealed that their determination was to avoid a similar fate.

“When Malawi seniors lost to Kenya, we were bitter. It was very painful. We didn’t want to lose as well,” he said after the match.

Despite facing a tough opponent in Kenya, who had several players from the 2023 CECAFA Cup runners-up squad, Mpinganjira commended his team for their resilience and victory.

“We were playing with an experienced side. I am glad that my boys put up a gallant fight and we have won the this tournament. It was a very good game. We did a very good job. We scored two quick goals,” he added.

Acknowledging the challenges faced, including limited training time and fitness concerns, Mpinganjira praised the team’s efforts and strategic substitutions that led to their success.

“But we only trained for two weeks, and the boys’ fitness level was not good. No wonder we collapsed around 60 minutes, but we made some substitutions, and we managed to score the third goal,” he explained.

Grateful for the opportunity provided by the tournament to keep the team active, Mpinganjira extended his appreciation to the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) for organizing the competition, emphasizing its importance in preparing the team for future events.

“The team has played two games against Zimbabwe and Kenya which are very good teams. Usually, we rely on Cosafa tournaments. This was good,” he conclude

The victory for the Malawi Under-20 National Football Team at the Four Nations Tournament, held at the Silver Stadium in Lilongwe, served as sweet revenge after their seniors’ loss to Harambee Stars.

Malawi 100% win

With an impeccable record throughout the tournament, including a win against Zimbabwe in the opening match, the Junior Flames showcased their dominance.

Emmanuel Saviel, Chifuniro Kamenya, and Madalitso Safuli were instrumental in securing the victory for Malawi, with goals that sealed their triumph.

Despite Stars juniors scoring a consolation goal through Dalphane Ezekiah, Savieli’s opener in the 36th minute set the tone for Malawi’s victory, followed by Kamenya’s goal in first-half added time.

Although Ezekiah managed to reduce the deficit in the 64th minute, Safuli’s goal in added time sealed the victory for Malawi.