Malawians are celebrating after finally securing a win over Lesotho, a team they had been unable to beat for the past 16 years.
Though it was a friendly match, the victory over Lesotho was one the team needed most.
Malawi, ranked 128th in the FIFA rankings, had often struggled against Lesotho, ranked 144th. The last time Malawi defeated Lesotho was in 2009, with subsequent encounters ending in draws or defeats for the Flames.
On Tuesday night at Toyota Stadium in South Africa, Malawi ended their 16-year winless streak thanks to striker Mayele Malango, who tapped in a Lloyd Aaron cross in the 25th minute.
This rematch came just a week after the two teams played to a goalless draw at the same venue, in a game where both sides had numerous scoring opportunities but struggled to find the back of the net.
Malawi dominated the first half but failed to convert their advantage into additional goals. Lesotho came out stronger in the second half, creating more chances, but Malawi’s defence held firm, ensuring the match ended in their favour.
Coach Kallisto Pasuwa expressed his satisfaction at finally defeating a side Malawi had struggled against for so long.
“Of course I am happy but in football you can be happy today and tomorrow you start cracking your head again,” Pasuwa said.
Commenting on the team’s performance, Pasuwa noted improvements despite missed opportunities.
“It was a good game, and we managed to play without conceding and we could have more possession in the attacking third to look for goals.
“The problem that we are having is complacency; at times, we have in mind that we are playing Lesotho or Sao Tome, not knowing that we have not registered a win over Lesotho.
“Today we brought some of the players, not the regulars. Last time we played the game, they were good; they pressed us and we ended up hitting the ball forward. Today you could see that we were attacking,” Pasuwa added.
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