Underdogs withstand test of time
Mqondisi Dube | Wednesday May 27, 2015 14:44
It would be awkward that previous winners, Angola, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe would be missing when the first COSAFA Cup semi final kicks-off in Moruleng tomorrow.
Instead, on to the pitch will step Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Madagascar. It has been 10 days of intense upsets, which shows a tilt in the balance of football power in the region.
Madagascar have emerged as the surprise package after dismissing this year’s guests and former African champions, Ghana, to set-up a semi final clash against Malawi.
The Islanders were in Group B against an improving Lesotho, Swaziland and Tanzania. They, however, emerged unbeaten with two wins and a draw.
Few gave them a chance against Ghana, the four time winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, in the quarter-finals but the Island nation prevailed with a late goal on Monday.
Namibia ensured the giant killing act continued unabated with a 4-1 win over the four- time COSAFA Cup winners, Zimbabwe in the ultimate Group A encounter, which meant they clinched top spot.
Just like Madagascar, the Namibians sprung a surprise after dragging another four-time COSAFA Cup winner, Zambia through to the penalties before prevailing 5-4. Botswana, whose fortunes have been on the rise in the last seven years, blasted hosts South Africa out of the competition with a 7-6 win in a penalty shoot-out before a big, veciforous crowd of 11,500.
Mozambique completed the semi final line-up with another penalty shoot-out win over Malawi, which is a proof of how closely contested the matches have been. An exciting twist is that a new winner’s name will be engraved on the trophy. Only Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia have won the cup since its inception in 1997.
The unpredictability of this year’s edition would keep fans glued to the action as any of the remaining four sides carry sufficient gravitas to wrestle the trophy away.
While the underdogs are involved in a fierce fight for the top prize, the region’s giants were left to fight for the crumbs while licking their wounds.
In a tantalising line-up, which could easily be mistaken for the last four clashes; Zambia play Ghana while the hosts look for consolation against Malawi.
COSAFA launched what has become the region’s flagship football tournament, 19years ago where stars have been born and the competition has provided the Southern African community with the much needed activity and competition outside the biennial Africa Cup of Nations.
The winners are guaranteed R500,000 (P410,000) cash prize money, after a maximum of only six games. Other teams that joined at quarterfinal stage only need three games to bank the handsome amount.
When the tournament curtains draw to a close on Saturday, the COSAFA region will have witnessed a historic tournament with a new winner crowned. The organisers and fans have witnessed the return of Castle as the official sponsor “as it all comes together” after another successful edition of the COSAFA Cup.
And just possibly, the arrival of another sponsor, Powerhorse, will see the underdogs transform to the region’s “powerhouses”.