Yankho Singo, Wongani Lungu, Lloyd Aaron, and Chawanangwa Gumbo earned minutes on the international stage as Malawi were beaten 2-0 by South Africa in Pretoria, losing 2-1 on aggregate, in their 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) second leg qualifier at Loftus Stadium on Sunday.
Singo and Aaron played the entire match, while Gumbo came on at the start of the second half to replace Mighty Wanderers forward Promise Kamwendo. In the 80th minute, Lungu was substituted for Nomads midfielder Gaddie Chirwa after picking up an injury.
South Africa’s goals were provided by TS Galaxy’s Victor Letsoalo and Mamelodi Sundowns’ Neo Maema, dashing Malawi’s hopes of qualifying for their first-ever CHAN finals.
The home side began with attacking intent, forcing two saves and a corner within the opening five minutes.
Malawi responded in the ninth minute when Wisdom Mpinganjira’s effort was blocked, and Singo volleyed the rebound over the bar.
Two minutes later, South Africa broke the deadlock. Letsoalo struck with a pinpoint left-foot finish into the bottom corner, making it 1-0 for the day and levelling the aggregate score at 1-1.
Letsoalo threatened again in the 17th minute, but Malawian goalkeeper George Chikooka of Silver Strikers charged out, narrowing the angle and forcing the striker to misfire.
After 20 minutes, Malawi started to grow into the game, passing with more confidence, though they struggled to break down South Africa’s organized defence in the final third.
In the 28th minute, Msani went down in the box and appealed for a penalty, but Ethiopian referee, Tewodeos Mitiku, did not see any contact as our former reserves right-back, Macdonald Lameck, now playing for Silver, cleared the threat.
South Africa nearly doubled their lead in the 34th minute when Msani was found in the six-yard box, but Alick Lungu made a crucial intervention to keep Malawi’s deficit to one.
Five minutes before halftime, the Flames earned a free kick in the opponent’s half but failed to convert the opportunity.
At the other end, Malawi almost got punished, but thanks to the Silver Strikers’ defensive duo of Nickson Mwase and Maxwell Paipi, who did well to deny South Africa’s Aden McCarthy a shot on goal inside the box.
In the 43rd minute, Singo took a speculative shot from distance, but his strike sailed wide—only Malawi’s second attempt of the match, neither of which was on target.
Singo then won a free kick in stoppage time after being fouled by Kegan Johannes outside the area, but Alick Lungu’s cross was cleared by the South African defence, sending Malawi to the break trailing 1-0.
With Bullets head coach Peter Mponda stepping in for the reported ailing national team coach Kalisto Pasuwa, the Flames began the second half by making a change—Gumbo came on to replace Kamwendo.
After the restart, Bafana Bafana immediately put pressure on the Malawi defence, forcing Chikooka into two sharp saves in the opening minute of the final period.
Wongani Lungu’s shot took a deflection for a corner shortly after, but Malawi’s attack was halted by a foul, relinquishing possession.
South Africa threatened again in the 52nd minute when Letsoalo narrowly missed connecting with a dangerous cross from Kamogelo Sebelebe. Moments later, Chikooka was called upon to deny Letsoalo once more with an outstanding stop.
Malawi responded positively, earning a corner in the 60th minute, but Alick Lungu’s delivery failed to meet a teammate. Four minutes later, Gumbo’s header missed the target.
South Africa maintained their attacking momentum, pushing Malawi deep into their own half. However, the Flames defence crowded out the hosts, standing firm to keep the deficit at a single goal.
In the 77th minute, Binwell Katinji nearly levelled the score, only for the South African defenders to clear the danger and concede a corner, which Malawi failed to make count.
Gumbo and his Bullets teammate Lungu combined dangerously in the 79th minute, with Lungu bursting into the box, but the South African defense ushered him wide and the attack ended in a goal kick. The midfielder was withdrawn after picking up an injury from that attack.
Six minutes from time, Kamohelo Mahlatsi looked set to put the game to rest, but Chikooka produced another brilliant save to keep Malawi’s hopes alive.
Barely two minutes later, the Marumo Gallants midfielder linked up effortlessly with Maema, who calmly recovered the ball after Letsoale’s failed attempt and coolly finished to secure South Africa’s second goal, dashing Malawi’s hopes of qualification.
The Flames tried to press for a goal that could have taken the tie to extra time and potentially penalties. But South Africa held solid in the final minutes plus stoppage time, sealing a 2-0 victory on the day and progressing to the 2024 CHAN finals in August, leaving Malawi eliminated with a narrow 2-1 aggregate defeat.
Just as in the first leg at Bingu National Stadium last week, Bullets goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba stayed on the bench and was not brought into play, while defender Andrew Jovinala and midfielder Chikumbutso Salima were omitted from the matchday squad entirely.
The Malawi national team is set to return home on Monday afternoon, with Bullets eagerly anticipating the arrival of our seven players who were on international duty. The People’s Team will swiftly shift focus to the TNM Super League, resuming play with an away match against Dedza Dynamos at Dedza Stadium on Wednesday.
Malawi XI: George Chikooka, Macdonald Lameck, Nickson Mwase, Maxwell Paipi (captain), Alick Lungu; Yankho Singo, Lloyd Aaron, Wongani Lungu (Gaddie Chirwa 80’); Wisdom Mpinganjira, Promise Kamwendo (Gumbo 45’), Binwell Katinji.
Substitutes: Richard Chimbamba, Emanuel Nyirenda, Blessings Singini, Chawanangwa Gumbo, Zelliat Nkhoma, Gaddie Chirwa, Olson Kanjira.
