By Mabvuto Kambuwe in Durban, South Africa:
Malawi Beach Soccer National Team produced a solid performance to advance to the semi-finals of this year’s Cosafa Beach Soccer Championship in style following a high scoring 7-2 victory over Seychelles at South Beach Arena in Durban, South Africa, Wednesday.
It was a perfect response from the team following a 5-1 loss to Saudi Arabia on Monday.
Following the victory, Malawi have six points from three matches after a 4-2 beating of hosts South Africa in the official opening match on Sunday.
Captain Isaac Kajamu led by example as he netted his second brace of the tournament.
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The other goals came from Sandram Usi, Simba Dala, Arnold Lasten, Thoko Kamanga and Martin Biliati.
Coach Willy Kumilambe made two changes to the team that started against Saudi Arabia as goalkeeper Justin Bonongwe and Usi paved way for Eddie Jamu and Obrien Nkhumbula, respectively.
The change paid off handsomely as there was a much improved performance from the team despite some wastefulness in front of goal in the opening period which ended goalless.
After pep talk, Malawi broke the deadlock just two minutes after restart through Kajamu who completed his brace in the 15th minute.
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Simba increased the tally for Malawi before Seychelles pulled a goal back.
Lasten then restored Malawi’s three-goal cushion with a good goal which opened the floodgates.
In the last period of the contest, Kamanga scored on his Cosafa Beach Soccer Championship debut before Usi put the game beyond Seychelles’ reach.
However, Seychelles pulled one back through Ryan Servina but it was too little, too late as Malawi cruised to the last four with an emphatic result after Biliati hammered the final nail on the Indian Ocean island team’s coffin in the last stages of the final period.
It was game over and there came the time to party.
Enjoying massive support from some Malawians based in Durban, the team turned the arena into a theatre of celebrations with its second win in three matches.
Kumilambe praised his players’ performance, describing it as exceptional.
’’The players did exceptionally well and I am really proud of them. Our focus is now on the semi-finals,’’ he said.
Kajamu said the players are determined to reach the final of the competition.
’’We came here for a purpose. We will keep pushing until we get the result in the final match,’’ Kajamu, who has scored four goals at this year’s tournament, said.
