Africa-Press – Malawi. Who said underdogs don’t bite? Malawians are beaming after the Flames lit up Bingu National Stadium with a fiery 1–0 win over South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in the first leg of the CHAN qualifiers on Saturday. And yes—this time, the “giants” were the ones scrambling.
In a match many expected would be a training session for the visitors, the Flames came out with grit, determination, and just enough chaos to frustrate the South Africans—who seemed more interested in sightseeing than scoring goals.
While the first half offered little to write home about (unless you’re a fan of good defending and goalie daydreams), it was clear Bafana Bafana came to Lilongwe with one goal: a boring 0–0 draw and a plan to handle business back home. Spoiler alert—they left empty-handed.
Enter Wisdom Mpinganjira, who danced down both flanks like the stadium was his personal playground. His trickery left defenders dizzy and fans delirious. And just when Bafana Bafana thought they’d snatched a point, Mpinganjira whipped in a corner with three minutes to spare—and Zeliati Nkhoma rose like a man on a mission, thumping it home with his head. Cue fireworks, ululations, and a collective South African gasp.
Flames coach Kalisto Pasuwa praised his boys for staying sharp under pressure. “They tried to catch us on the break, but we held firm. Second half—we pressed, we attacked, and boom—we scored,” he said with the calm of a man who just outwitted a football powerhouse.
On the flip side, Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki seemed to suggest Malawi’s win was more about vibes than tactics. “They pushed… mentally,” he said, clearly not over that one corner that ruined his weekend.
FAM President Fleetwood Haiya called it a big boost ahead of the return leg in Pretoria. “Malawians in South Africa, your turn—let’s turn Pretoria red,” he rallied.
So now, the ball’s in Bafana’s court—literally. Can they turn things around at home, or will the Flames burn them twice?
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