Malawi brush aside Seychelles

Malawi made it two wins from two in the 2023 Cosafa Cup after they beat Seychelles 2-0 at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban on Sunday evening.

Second-half goals from Lanjesi Nkhoma and Christopher Kumwembe maintained the Flames' 100 per cent record in Group B as they pulled three points clear of Comoros and defending champions Zambia.

The Pirates bring up the rear following two successive defeats, having gone down 3-0 the Coelacanths in their group opener on Thursday, with Patrick Mabedi's side stunning the Copper Bullets 1-0.

Malawi wasted little time in putting the opposition under pressure as Kumwembe steered a header wide of the right post on five minutes after getting on the end of Nkhoma's cross from the left.

Nkhoma then drew a comfortable save out of Jean Paul Lesperance with a strike from a long way out on nine minutes, while Brandon Labrosse tested Brighton Munthali from range in a rare attack from Seychelles in the 17th minute.

Kumwembe was just inches away from breaking the deadlock with a low shot from outside the box that fizzed narrowly past the left post on 29 minutes and Chawanangwa Kaonga forced Lesperance into a save with his feet two minutes later after advancing into the box with a few silky touches.

Lesperance ensured the two teams would go into the break all-square after he made a smart save at point-blank range to deny Kumwembe at his near post following good work from Nkhoma on the left to swing in a low cross.

Nkhoma threatened again seven minutes into the second half as he cut inside from the left after being played into space and lashed a shot over the crossbar.

But the pressure finally told three minutes later when Kaonga showed good strength to brush off his marker on the right