MZUZU--Perhaps not all is lost after all. The Malawi Under-20 national team are this Saturday afternoon expected play their lungs out to try and salvage their pride by at least scooping bronze after letting the golden chance slip through their fingers on Thursday.

The junior Flames blew away a two-goal lead to hand Angola a 4-2 victory in the last 20 minutes and a ticket to the finals of the Cosafa Youth Championship in perhaps the most painful and melodramatic
fashion.

The lads are up against the hosts Botswana who will have a horde of partisan supporter’s right behind them in a third-place playoff which will curtain-raise the final between defending champions Zambia and Angola at the University of Botswana Stadium.

The junior Flames better forget their humiliating defeat at the hands of the Angolans and let it be water under the bridge. But they should not forget to learn from the mistakes they made in that game, for experience is the best teacher, so they say.

The Batswana will certainly be tough meat to roast, if the friendly between the two teams before a fortnight ago, which ended in a two-all draw, is anything to go by.

Perhaps this game, which should not be taken light by all means, should afford Coach John Kaputa a chance to try other players who have not kicked the ball throughout the tournament.

Who knows, they may just be missing link that could bring at least a smile on the vast majority of Malawians who are feeling blue right now as nothing seems to be working in their favour on the home front—from socio-political and economic affairs right to sporting sphere.
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