Zambia Under-20 coach Perry Mutapa has questioned the consistency of the officiating after his side’s 4-2 defeat by South Africa ended their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Young Chipolopolo surrendered a 1-0 half-time lead in a dramatic COSAFA U-20 Championship semi-final in Mozambique, with South Africa scoring three times in the final 27 minutes before adding a fourth in stoppage time.
Duncan Musialela put Zambia ahead in the 28th minute, heading in Allan Mumba’s long throw, but South Africa were awarded two penalties after the break, both converted by Steven Mendes.
Oarabile Tumelo Booysen also scored for Amajita, while Jonathan Kalimina briefly restored parity for Zambia before being sent off for a handball that led to South Africa’s second penalty.
Speaking after the match, Mutapa questioned some of the decisions made by the officials, particularly what he felt was an inconsistent approach to disciplinary action.
“Our first foul in the first minute, it was a yellow card. In the fifth minute for South Africa, they do the same thing on the left wing, they don’t give a yellow card, so it’s not easy,” Mutapa said.
The Zambia coach also suggested that the outcome could have been different had some of the decisions gone in his side’s favour.
“We have lost it on our own, and we told the boys, whatever they are going to do, we are going to win, and we could have won with the other decisions going their way,” he said.
Mutapa’s comments came after a match in which South Africa were awarded two penalties, while Zambia were reduced to 10 men following Kalimina’s dismissal.
Despite the defeat, Mutapa praised his players for their performance and said the team had been targeting qualification for the continental tournament and ultimately the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
“I think the boys showed a lot of promise, but the most important thing I think was to go to the U20 Africa Cup, and ultimately to the World Cup, and we had planned for that, we are geared for that,” he said.
Mutapa also raised broader concerns about the organisation of the tournament, referring to the change of venue and kick-off arrangements.
“No wonder Senegal walked away from the pitch, even the change of venue. How does South Africa know that they are playing at 12h00 and us, we don’t know? So everything is a disgrace about African football,” he said.
South Africa’s victory sends Amajita into the COSAFA U-20 final against either hosts Mozambique or Namibia and, crucially, secures their qualification for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
For Zambia, the defeat brings their campaign to an end and means they will miss out on the continental tournament.
