Malawi rallies from a goal down to defeat Zimbabwe in group B | AFCON 2021

AFCON 2021 (Group B):

• Malawi 2-1 Zimbabwe
• Senegal 0-0 Guinea

From a goal down, Malawi Flames beat Zimbabwe Warriors 2-1 in group B during the on-going AFCON 2021 finals at the Kouekong Stadium on Friday evening.

Hellings Frank “Gabadinho” Mhango scored a brace for Malawi to overturn Ishmael Wadi’s opener.

Wadi headed home the opening goal on 38 minutes after a great cross from the left by Onismor Bhasera.

Five minutes later, Mhango side-footed Francisco Madinga’s delivery on the left flank for the equalizer as either side returned to the dressing rooms for the mandatory half time recess tied at one goal apiece.

Mhango made it two with a chipped finish over goalkeeper Mhari following hesitation from Zimbabwe’s defence with two minutes to the half hour mark.

Malawi held onto the lead to record maximum points and keep their chances of qualifying to the round of 16 much alive.

Meanwhile, Senegal and Guinea got to four points apiece in group B following a non-scoring stalemate in Kouekong’s early kick-off.

The determinant games in this group will come on Tuesday, 18^th January 2022 concurrently.

Malawi will face Senegal and already eliminated Zimbabwe shall play Guinea.

Team Line Ups:

Malawi XI: Kakhobwe, Sanudi, Chembezi, Mzava (Chaziya 27′), Muyaba (Chester 66′), J.Banda, Madinga (Petro 84′), Idana (Phiri 84′), Chirwa, Mhango, Mbulu (P.Banda 66′).

Zimbabwe XI: Mhari, Takwara, Teenage Hadebe, Bhasera, Madzongwe, Chimwemwe, Kangwa (Zemura 67′), Wadi (Mahachi 84′), Benyu, Knowledge Musona (Muskwe 78′), Kadewere.

All Fixtures:

Group A

• 9 January: Cameroon 2-1 Burkina Faso
• 9 January: Ethiopia 0-1 Cape Verde
• 13 January: Cameroon 4-1 Ethiopia
• 13 January: Cape Verde 0-1 Burkina Faso
• 17 January: Cape Verde Vs Cameroon
• 17 January: Burkina Faso Vs Ethiopia

Group B:

• 10 January: Senegal 1-0 Zimbabwe
• 10 January: Guinea 1-0 Malawi
• 14 January: Senegal 0-0 Guinea
• 14 January: Malawi 2-1 Zimbabwe
• 18 January: Malawi Vs Senegal
• 18 January: Zimbabwe Vs Guinea

Group C:

• 10 January: Morocco 1-0 Ghana
• 10 January: Comoros 0-1 Gabon
• 14 January: Morocco 2-0 Comoros
• 14 January: Gabon Vs Ghana
• 18 January: Gabon Vs Morocco
• 18 January: Ghana Vs Comoros

Group D:

• 11 January: Nigeria 1-0 Egypt
• 11 January: Sudan 0-0 Guinea-Bissau
• 15 January: Nigeria Vs Sudan
• 15 January: Guinea-Bissau Vs Egypt
• 19 January: Guinea-Bissau Vs Nigeria
• 19 January: Egypt Vs Sudan

Group E:

• 11 January: Algeria 0-0 Sierra Leone 
• 12 January: Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Ivory Coast
• 15 January: Ivory Coast Vs Sierra Leone 
• 15 January: Algeria Vs Equatorial Guinea
• 19 January: Ivory Coast Vs Algeria
• 19 January: Sierra Leone Vs Equatorial Guinea

Group F:

• 12 January: Tunisia 0-1 Mali
• 12 January: Mauritania 0-1 Gambia
• 16 January: Gambia Vs Mali
• 16 January: Tunisia Vs Mauritania
• 20 January: Gambia Vs Tunisia
• 20 January: Mali Vs Mauritania

Knockout schedule:

Round of 16:

• 23 January: Runner-up Group A Vs Runner-up Group C (1)
• 23 January: Winner Group D Vs 3rd Group B/E/F (2)
• 24 January: Runner-up Group B Vs Runner-up Group F (5)
• 24 January: Winner Group A Vs 3rd Group C/D/E (6)
• 25 January: Winner Group B Vs 3rd Group A/C/D (3)
• 25 January: Winner Group C Vs 3rd Group A/B/F (8)
• 26 January: Winner Group E Vs Runner-up Group D (7)
• 26 January: Winner Group F Vs Runner-up Group E (4)

Quarter-finals:

• 29 January: Winners Rof16 1 Vs 2 (QF1)
• 29 January: Winners Rof16 5 Vs 6 (QF3)
• 30 January: Winners of Rof16 3 Vs 4 (QF2)
• 30 January: Winners of Rof16 7 Vs 8 (QF4)

Semi-final:

• 2 February: Winners of QF 1 Vs 2
• 3 February: Winners of QF 3 Vs 4

Third-place play-off & Final

6 February