Luis Eusebio scored a goal in the final minute as Angola edged Zambia 2-1 to claim the gold medal at the Boys’ Under-17 football tournament at the Region 5 Games Maseru 2020 on Wednesday.
With the game poised for penalties late on with the scores level at 1-1, Eusebio rose to head the ball into the net at the back post and secure the regional title for Angola for the first time since 2018.
These were the two outstanding teams in the competition and worthy finalists, which turned out to be a hard-fought contest as many had excepted.
Angola took the lead on 11 minutes when Eusebio headed them in front for the first of a brace on the day. But Zambia were level just two minutes later as giant forward Marcel Zimba equalised.
It was a battle to the end, but Angola came up with the winning moment as Zambia failed to learn from the first goal and again allowed Eusebio a free header that he powered home.
Zambia’s Joseph Banda won the Player of the Tournament, which comes with an incredible opportunity of spending a week in Spain as a guest of LaLiga Santander, where he will take in the sights and sounds of one of the world’s great footballing nations, train with an academy and hopefully take in a LaLiga match.
Banda will also share the Golden Boot with Malawi’s Masambiro Kalua after the pair both scored five goals. Angolan goalkeeper Domingos Da Silva takes home the Golden Glove, while Eswatini won the Fair Play award.
The final wraps up the football competition at the Region 5 Games Maseru 2020 after Zambia won the Girls’ tournament by beating Botswana in the final on Monday.
WEDNESDAY’S RESULT
Boys Final
Zambia 1 (Zimba 13’) Angola 2 (Eusebio 11’, 89’)
BOYS U17 TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Zambia (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Eswatini (Q) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| Lesotho | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 |
| GROUP B | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Angola (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Malawi (Q) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 1 |
| Botswana | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 |
BOYS U17 TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 10
Goals scored: 29
Biggest victory: Malawi 4 Eswatini 0 (Third-Place Play-off, December 7)
Most goals in a game: 6 – Malawi 2 Angola 4 (Group B, December 5)
GOALSCORERS
5 goals – Joseph Banda (Zambia), Masambiro Kalua (Malawi)
3 – Ariclene Antonio (Angola), Denilson Mkokissa (Angola)
2 – Luis Eusebio (Angola)
1 – Mathews Banda (Zambia), Joao Brito (Angola), Hollyce Chuzu (Malawi), Custodio Hekele (Angola), Phillip Kaku (Botswana), Blessings Kanowa (Malawi), Madalitso Mwachumu (Malawi), Simao Pedro (Angola), Tsemane Seabata (Lesotho), Marcel Zimba (Zambia)
Own goals – Mohale Majara (Lesotho)
GIRLS U17 TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
| GROUP A | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| Zambia (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Botswana (Q) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
| Namibia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
GIRLS U17 TOURNAMENT STATS
Matches Played: 4
Goals scored: 13
Biggest victory: Zambia 4 Botswana 0 (December 6)
Most goals in a game: 4 – Zambia 3 Botswana 1 (December 2), Zambia 4 Botswana 0 (December 6)
GOALSCORERS
3 goals – Lucy Kajiya (Zambia)
2 – Gracious Tailoshi (Zambia), Jessy Zulu (Zambia)
1 – Kefilwe Hangara (Botswana), Serati Modisenyane (Botswana), Pumulo Lubasi (Zambia), Anna Somses (Namibia), Tumelo Tiro (Botswana), Zangose Zulu (Zambia)
