COSAFA Women’s Championship: Mozambique coach rues missed dream

Mozambique senior women’s team coach Luis Victor Fumo has commented on the Os Mambas’ failure to secure a semi-final seat at the ongoing COSAFA Women’s Championship in Polokwane, South Africa.

The girls from the former Portuguese colony beat Madagascar 2-0 at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in a decisive Group C match when what was needed was a three-goal margin victory.

𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞:

Mozambique and Madagascar bow out of the tournament — and it’s Namibia who secure their spot in the semifinals!

🇲🇿 Mozambique 2 (Banze 31’ Manuel 68’) – 0 Madagascar 🇲🇬 #CWC2025 #Hollywoodbets #HollywoodbetsCWC2025 pic.twitter.com/Py3SVDGZTy

— COSAFA (@COSAFAMEDIA) February 25, 2026

In a post-match press conference, Fumo said his girls gave it their all, but poor finishing cost them progression to the semi-final stage.

“It was a great game from us although the result wasn’t satisfactory to us,” the coach said.

“We had in our minds to give it our all because we had nothing to lose. That is the message we tried to pass to the girls and of course, they did their best. We should have won by a three or four-goal difference.

“We created three chances in the first-half but we couldn’t convert them and two more [chances] in the second-half. There was a killer save from Madagascar keeper [ Verasantatra Andrianandrasana] which almost closed our chances of winning this game by more than two goals. Overall, our performance was good although the result was not good enough.”

Group C log table sums up what went

The Os Mambas finished the proceedings in the three-member group on three points, at par with Barea Women and Namibia’s Brave Gladiators.

Last dance in the group stages for Madagascar 🇲🇬 – they are here to leave it all on the pitch. #CWC2025 #Hollywoodbets #HollywoodbetsCWC2025 pic.twitter.com/XsycTcG1hD

— COSAFA (@COSAFAMEDIA) February 25, 2026

Namibia advanced to the last-four stage courtesy of a superior goal aggregate of +1, joining holders Zambia’s Copper Queens, hosts Banyana Banyana and Zimbabwe’s Mighty Warriors.

Banyana Banyana will now face the Mighty Warriors while the Brave Gladiators date the Copper Queens in the semifinal games scheduled for Friday at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.