Zambia showed character in victory against Malawi – Mutapa

Zambia assistant coach Osward Mutapa praised his side’s resilience and mental strength after they managed to defeat Malawi 9-8 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regulation time at the ongoing Mukuru Four Nations Championship in Francistown, Botswana.

Despite struggling to convert chances in the final third, the youthful Zambia squad stayed tactically disciplined and held firm at the back to contain Malawi’s attacks.

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— FA Malawi (@FaMalawi) March 28, 2026

After a balanced first half, the match remained 0-0 at the break. Chipolopolo improved after the restart and grew into the game with greater attacking intent.

Striker Mandanji looked lively and pressed high in Malawi’s half, but was caught offside on several occasions. The ZANACO hitman thought he had broken the deadlock in the 83rd minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Mulenga converted decisive spot kick

With neither side able to find a winner in normal time, the match went straight into penalties. Zambia held their nerve in a tense shootout, winning 9-8 in sudden death.

Nchanga Rangers defender Joseph Mulenga converted the decisive spot kick. Malawi missed two penalties, while Zambia had one miss through Lukas Mutoshi.

“For me, it’s about the 90 minutes of football,” Mutapa said after the game as quoted by FAZ Media.

“The boys showed a lot of character. We didn’t start very well, but as the game went on, we became more composed and created threatening moments.

“Even going into penalties, the boys showed strong mentality. We didn’t specifically train for penalties, but they handled the pressure very well.”

‘The future is bright for Zambia’

Mutapa added the tournament provides a crucial platform for developing young talent as Zambia builds toward future competitions, including the Olympic Games.

“The future is bright. We brought an under-23 side with a few experienced local players. These are the kinds of matches that help us assess and grow our players. Our projection is long-term, and this is a good start,” he said.

The victory sent Zambia into the final, set to be played on Tuesday.