On the very same tender beds where Malawi interim boss Patrick Mabedi placed hopes of an entire nation, the Flames crumbled under the weight of expectations on Friday, July 14 in South Africa.
Mabedi, whose name means beds in Malawi vernacular, saw his otherwise bright Flames extinguished by the jaws of Lesotho’s Crocodiles in the coastal city of Durban.
A 3-0 post-match penalty shootout loss to Lesotho after a 1-1 draw in regulation time at King Zwelithini Stadium not only ended the Flames’ Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup adventure, but also dashed the hopes of an entire nation.
Flames found wanting on game-management
It was not like the Flames were outplayed, but they were just outthought by the smarter Lesotho.
Not that Lesotho possessed better talent, but they were more experienced and had a plan which they executed to perfection. It was all about game management.
In contrast, as Malawi Broadcasting Corporation TV sports presenter Amin Musa observed, “Lesotho did their homework on how to deal with their opponents, whereas the Flames didn’t.”
It seemed that Mabedi had, as was the case in the 1-0 win over Zambia and 2-0 beating of Comoros and Seychelles in the group phase, just instructed his boys to go flat out on attack.
However, in tournament football, especially in the knockout stages, game management matters more than anything else.
Actually, Lesotho appeared more dominant even after being reduced to 10 men, thanks to Brighton Munthali’s telling saves which kept the Flames in the semifinal game.
How Lesotho coach got his tactics right
Lesotho coach Leslie Notsi got his tactics right using speed and width in the wings, going physical and aerial while by-passing Malawi’s midfield with long balls.
The small
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