Eswatini stun hosts Mozambique in line-goal thriller as Zimbabwe and Botswana draw in COSAFA U20 opener

Hosts Mozambique were handed a shocking 5-4 defeat by Eswatini in a thrilling contest during the opening day of the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations COSAFA Qualifiers on Thursday. The match, held in Mozambique, saw a flurry of goals and high drama, leaving the home side stunned by their neighbors’ resilience.

The tournament began earlier in the day with a hard-fought 1-1 draw between Zimbabwe and Botswana, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting competition.

Both teams are vying for a spot in the 2025 continental finals, with only the top two finishers earning a place at the prestigious event.

The match between Zimbabwe and Botswana started slowly, with neither team able to produce a shot on target in the first 20 minutes.

Botswana’s defender Perfect Nfhandiso fired a long-range effort that was well saved by Zimbabwe’s goalkeeper Joseph Kaunda.

Zimbabwe responded eight minutes later, with Enock Njabulo Moyo striking a powerful shot from outside the box to give his side a 1-0 lead.

Botswana’s persistence paid off in the 74th minute when Philip Kaku equalized from a precise cut-back.

Botswana nearly took the lead shortly after, but Ratshukudu’s rocket of a shot hit the crossbar.

In the dying moments of the game, Zimbabwe’s Nisbet Muzenda was also denied by the woodwork, as the match ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

While the first match was tightly contested, the second encounter of the day delivered a breathtaking nine-goal spectacle.

Mozambique initially took the lead in the 19th minute when Kelvio Neves headed home a well-placed cross from Edvaldo Junior.

However, Eswatini quickly responded and grew into the game, displaying patience in their build-up play.

Eswatini’s equalizer came in the 35th minute through Phiwayinkhosi Dube, who calmly finished off a counter-attack.

Just two minutes later, Alakhe Mdluli produced a moment of individual brilliance, dribbling past a defender and chipping the ball over the goalkeeper to put Eswatini ahead 2-1.

The second half saw Eswatini further assert their dominance.

Njoko Mazibuko capitalized on a communication error between Mozambique’s goalkeeper and his defense to extend the lead to 3-1.

Mdluli then struck again, netting his second of the match to give Eswatini a commanding 4-1 lead just eight minutes into the second half.

Mozambique were handed a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty after a handball, with captain Fernando Jose converting from the spot to make it 4-2.

The hosts continued to fight back, and Neves scored his second of the match with a header from a corner to reduce the deficit to 4-3.

However, Eswatini restored their two-goal cushion when Malwande Gwebu volleyed home a cross from Mdluli, making it 5-3.

Mozambique scored a consolation goal deep into stoppage time through Yuran Seia, whose long-range strike slipped through the fingers of Eswatini’s goalkeeper AwDespite the late goal, it was too little, too late for the hosts as Eswatini held on for a remarkable 5-4 victory.

The dramatic opening day provided plenty of excitement for fans, with 11 goals scored across the two matches, setting the stage for an intense race to the finals.