The Malawi Schools Girls national team on Wednesday afternoon suffered a 1-0 loss in their o CAF Schools Football Championship opening match in Accra Ghana.
This was the first meeting for the two teams on the continental stage and they both needed three points to boost their chances of making it to the knockout stage.
The first half ended goalless.
The second half started on a high note with both teams searching for a goal and Benin were lucky as they scored through Gbenameto at 30 minutes after goalkeeper Dorothy Manda left her spot in a bid to clear the ball.
Hamida Lifa could have equalised with two minutes remaining but her long range shot hit the post.
Speaking after the match, the team’s head coach Bridget Chirwa said though her team loss, the girls played well and only conceded due to lack of confidence.
“It was a good game and our girls played very well especially in the first half. In the second half, we saw that there was lack of confidence among the girls hence conceding that goal.
“We are going to motivate the girls to retain their confidence and also work on the defence which was shaken today so that we win the remaining two matches tomorrow”, said Chirwa.
Malawi will on Thursday play Morocco in the second group stage match before meeting Ghana later in the afternoon.
In the other group A match played today, Ghana defeated Morocco 1-0 meaning Morocco and Malawi are the only teams with no point so far in the group.
Top two teams from each of the two groups of the competition will proceed to the semifinals.
LINEUP
1.Dorothy Manda, Thokozani Enock, Ethel Tambala, Eneles Fabiano, Rejoice Sulungwe, Rabecca Banda (Hamida Lifa 36′), Ongani Masamba, Talandira Kachala (Tamandani Chilimba 36′), Eunice Sinthaya, Mercy Banda, Martha Mwakikunga
