Football: Cosafa Castle Cup 2016 |13 June 2016

Seychelles lose opening match to Madagascar

Seychelles lost their opening group A match on a 0-1 score against Madagascar on Saturday in the Cosafa Castle Cup taking place in Namibia and on the same day Zimbabwe and Swaziland played to a 2-2 draw.

Madagascar claimed their victory after a goal from striker Claudel Fanomenza as he beat the Seychelles offside trap before firing the ball past goalkeeper and captain Vincent Euphrasie at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.

According to reports, Madagascar also missed a number of other chances to seal the game as Dina Razanakoto struck the post late on.

With the win, the Malagasies have moved to the top of pool A to get their campaign off to a positive start.

Seychelles coach Ralph Jean-Louis’ starting 11 included Euphrasie, Yannick Manoo, Nelson Laurence, Jones Joubert, Benoit Marie, Gervais Waye-Hive, Achille Henriette, Carl Hopprich, Daniel Maillet, Colin Bibi and Lucas Panayi.

The team’s next match is today against Swaziland at the Sam Nujoma Stadium. They will play their third and last group A match against Zimbabwe on Wednesday at the same venue.

Meanwhile, in Saturday’s other group A match, Zimbabwe and Swaziland played to a 2-2 draw in the tournament opener.

Swaziland were ahead on 16 minutes when Felix Badenhorst headed home following a cross from Sifiso Mabila.  

After the break, the experienced Obadiah Tarumbwa headed home the equaliser from a cross by Tazenda Mudehwe but that goal sparked Swaziland back into life and after Ronald Pfumbidzai had cleared off the line for Zimbabwe, they were awarded a penalty when Warriors skipper Danny Phiri was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.

Badenhorst stepped up to coolly slot home his second of the game to give Swaziland a 2-1 lead.

Zimbabwe poured forward in search of another equaliser and it came in excellent fashion when Elisha Muroiwa executed a bicycle-kick on 79 minutes to bring them level again.

G. G.