Amajita retain Cosafa Under-20 title with win over hosts Mozambique

South Africa retained their Cosafa qualifying title for the Caf Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, beating hosts Mozambique 2–1 in the final to complete a perfect tournament of five wins from five matches.

Oarabile Booysen and Steven Mendes scored for Amajita, who defended their regional crown for a second successive year. They will travel to the continental finals in Ghana next year alongside the runners-up, Mozambique.

Booysen gave South Africa the lead with a long-range strike in the 28th minute, but Mozambique levelled two minutes later through Martinho Comecar. Mendes restored the advantage from the penalty spot in the 58th minute and it proved decisive.

It was the Kaizer Chiefs forward’s sixth goal of the competition, earning him the Golden Boot; he had also scored twice from the spot in South Africa’s 4–2 semi-final win over Zambia. Mozambique finished with 10 men after Milton Macombe was sent off in added time for stamping on Mendes’s arm as the striker lay on the ground.

Amajita scored 13 goals and conceded three. They opened the tournament with three consecutive clean sheets before beating Zambia and Mozambique in the knockout rounds.

Mozambique, meanwhile, had recovered from a 1–0 group-stage defeat by Namibia to reach the final. They edged Angola for the best runners-up place on fair-play points after both sides finished the group stage on six points, with identical records of nine goals scored and two conceded. They then avenged the loss to Namibia in the semi-final, winning 3–0 through goals from Comecar, Diego Pelembe and Hissen Socrate.

Mozambique’s Alírio Cuna was named player of the tournament after scoring five goals, one fewer than Mendes. South Africa goalkeeper Takalani Mazhamba won the Golden Glove, and Namibia took the Fair Play Award.

In the earlier third-place play-off, Zambia beat Namibia 3–0. Gift Mumbi opened the scoring in the 42nd minute and Sipho Muntanga doubled the lead in the 62nd, before completing his brace in the first minute of stoppage time to secure bronze for the Junior Chipolopolo.

Zambia had won all three group matches before their semi-final defeat and finished with four wins from five games. Namibia won all three group matches without conceding but lost 3–0 in both knockout games.

The tournament ended after 22 matches and 73 goals. South Africa and Mozambique now turn their attention to the Caf Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana in 2027, having taken the two qualifying places available to the Cosafa region.