2021 COSAFA Cup

The 2021 COSAFA Cup was the 20th edition of the COSAFA Cup, an international football competition consisting of national teams of member nations of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA). It took place on 6–18 July 2021.^[2]

2021 COSAFA Cup

Tournament details
Host country	South Africa
City	Port Elizabeth
Dates	6–18 July[1]
Teams	11
Venue(s)	2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	South Africa (5th title)
Runners-up	Senegal
Third place	Eswatini
Fourth place	Mozambique
Tournament statistics
Matches played	24
Goals scored	53 (2.21 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Sepana Letsoalo (4 goals)
Best player(s)	Siyethemba Sithebe
Best goalkeeper	Veli Mothwa (5 Clean Sheets)
← 2019 2020 2022 →

Zambia is the defending champion, having defeated Botswana, 1–0, in the previous edition's final on 8 June 2019.^[3]

Participating nations

National team	FIFA Ranking (27 May 2021)[4]	Best Performance
Eswatini	154	Semi-finals (1999, 2002, 2003, 2021)
Madagascar (withdrew)	100	Third Place (2015)
Zimbabwe	107	Champions (2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2018)
Comoros (withdrew)[5]	131	Group stage
Lesotho	146	Runner-Up (2000)
Senegal (Invited guest)	22	Debut
Botswana	150	Runner-Up (2016, 2019)
Malawi	115	Runner-Up (2002, 2003)
Zambia	87	Champions (1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2019)
Mozambique	117	Runner-Up (2008, 2015)
Namibia	111	Champions (2015)
South Africa	75	Champions (2002, 2007, 2008, 2016)

Venue

Matches will held at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and Wolfson Stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Port Elizabeth	Port Elizabeth	Port Elizabeth
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium		Wolfson Stadium
Capacity: 42,486		Capacity: 10,000

Draw

The draw for the 2021 COSAFA Cup was staged in host city Nelson Mandela Bay on Thursday, June 17, 2021.^[6]

Grouping line

Group A	Group B
South Africa  Eswatini  Zambia  Botswana  Lesotho	Senegal  Mozambique  Namibia  Malawi  Zimbabwe

Match officials

Referees Abongile Tom (South Africa) Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe) Antonio Caluassi Dungula (Angola) Eldrick Adelaide (Seychelles) Akhona Makalima (South Africa) Thulani Sibandze (Eswatini) Wilson Julio Muianga (Mozambique) Keabetswe Dintwa (Botswana) Osiase Koto (Lesotho) Audrick Nkole (Zambia)

Assistant Referees Diana Chikotesha (Zambia) Brighton Nyika (Zimbabwe) Petros Mzi Mbingo (Eswatini) Moses Singeve (Namibia) Lucky Kegakologetswe (Botswana) Siza Dlangamandla (Lesotho) Joseph Nyauti (Malawi) Ivanildo Meirelles Lopes (Angola)

Group stages

Tiebreakers

Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings (Regulations Article 9.3)

1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
4. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
5. Goal difference in all group matches;
6. Goals scored in all group matches;
7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they met in the last round of the group;
8. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
9. Drawing of lots.

• All matches will be held at Port Elizabeth
• Time listed are UTC+2:00

Key to colour in group tables
	Group Winners and Runners-up advance to the Semi-finals

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	South Africa (H)	4	3	1	0	6	0	+6	10	Semi-finals
2	Eswatini	4	2	1	1	5	3	+2	7
3	Zambia	4	1	1	2	3	4	−1	4
4	Botswana	4	1	1	2	6	4	+2	4
5	Lesotho	4	1	0	3	3	12	−9	3

Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

6 July 2021

14:00 UTC+2

Eswatini	3–1	Lesotho
J. Figuaredo  30' F. Badenhorst 42' K. Khethukulhe 57' M. Mabelesa  66' F. Mamba  45' 78'	Report	J. Thabantso  7' T. Khutlang 45+4' T. Bereng  72'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Abongile Tom (South Africa)

6 July 2021

17:00 UTC+2

South Africa	1–0	Botswana
K. Malinga 6' R. Reuck  8'	Report	G. Mohutsiwa  45+1'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe)

---

8 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Zambia	1–2	Lesotho
K. Chongo  1' J. Shonga 2' B. Sakala  6'	Report	L. Fothoane  20' B. Makepe  37' S. Motebang 70', 88'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Akhona Makalima (South Africa)

8 July 2021

15:00 UTC+2

South Africa	1–0	Eswatini
S. Mkhulise  42' T. Sibanyoni 59'  88'	Report	F. Mamba  26' F. Badenhorst  26'  45+1'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Wilson Julio Muianga (Mozambique)

---

10 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Lesotho	0–4	Botswana
N. Masoabi  37' L. Mphuthi  45+3' N. Lerotholi  47'	Report	T. Setsile  18' T. Orebonye 28', 45+4' (pen.), 69' G. Mohutsiwa  48' T. Kgamanyane 73'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Thulani Sibandze (Eswatini)

10 July 2021

15:00 UTC+2

Zambia	0–1	Eswatini
K. Chongo  19' Z. Chilongoshi  61' D. Chanda  65' K. Kampamba  68' S. Silwimba  86'	Report	M. Mabelesa  51' S. Gomedze 53' S. Mathabela  56' S. Magagula  57' L. Mkhona  76' F. Mamba  84'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Abongile Tom (South Africa)

---

13 July 2021

15:00 UTC+2

Botswana	1–2	Zambia
B. Sakala  4' S. Phiri  5' T. Kgamanyane 62'	Report	J. Shonga 21', 83' (pen.) T. Orebonye  47' M. Johnson  67'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Thulani Sibandze (Eswatini)

13 July 2021

15:00 UTC+2

South Africa	4–0	Lesotho
S. Letsoalo 5', 44', 57' S. Mkhulise 20' N. Ngcobo  74' M. Mphahlele  89'	Report	L. Fothoane  40' B. Makepe  56' M. Nkoto  67' T. Toloane  73'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Audrick Nkole (Zambia)

---

14 July 2021

15:00 UTC+2

South Africa	0–0	Zambia
Dube  90'	Report	Chanda  56'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe)

14 July 2021

15:00 UTC+2

Eswatini	1–1	Botswana
Ndzinisa 19' Mkhonta  34' Figuareido  69' Gamedze  71'	Report	Kgamanyane  45+1', 65' Mohutsiwa  89'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Audrick Nkole (Zambia)

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Senegal	4	3	0	1	6	4	+2	9	Semi-finals
2	Mozambique	4	2	1	1	3	1	+2	7
3	Namibia	4	2	1	1	5	3	+2	7
4	Malawi	4	0	2	2	4	7	−3	2
5	Zimbabwe	4	0	2	2	3	6	−3	2

Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

7 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Mozambique	0–0	Zimbabwe
A. Nhantumbo  52' F. Simbine  65' C. Mathe  79' H. Salas  84'	Report	Q. Amini  27' D. Murimba  72' P. Musaka  82'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Eldrick Adelaide (Seychelles)

7 July 2021

15:00 UTC+2

Senegal	1–2	Namibia
A. Diène 17'  67' A. Diop  26' D. Mendy  71'	Report	M. Papama 13' E. Kambindu 50' D. Fredericks  88'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Antonio Caluassi Dungula (Angola)

---

9 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Malawi	2–2	Zimbabwe
K. Muyaba 27' S. Kuwali 50' M. Sulumba  66' C. Chirwa  76'	Report	R. Hachiro  45+1' B. Sarupinda 62' A. Mbeba  72' P. Musaka 79'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Keabetswe Dintwa (Botswana)

9 July 2021

15:00 UTC+2

Senegal	1–0	Mozambique
El-Hadji Kane  15' P. Djitte 63' Sane  82' Mohamed Ba  86'	Report

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Osiase Koto (Lesotho)

---

11 July 2021

14:00 UTC+2

Namibia	2–0	Zimbabwe
D. Fredricks  10' I. Kamberipa  52' Q. Amini 70' (o.g.) A. Iimbondi  76' E. Kambindu 86'	Report	S. Nyahwa  81' Malvin Enos Mkolo  85'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Audrick Nkole (Zambia)

11 July 2021

17:00 UTC+2

Mozambique	2–0	Malawi
. Muze  53' V. Vitinho 55' (pen.)  60' Shafiquille  65' F. Simbine 68' E. Siluane  89'	Report	C. Chirwa  14' S. Kuwali  22'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe)

---

13 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Senegal	2–1	Zimbabwe
A. Ndoye 44' M. Ba 88'	Report	Q. Amini 3' (pen.) S. Nyahwa  58'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Abongile Tom (South Africa)

13 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Malawi	1–1	Namibia
M. Mhone 73'	Report	N. Theophilus  49' W. Stephanus  50' L. Horaeb  50' I. Heita  88' E. Kambindu 53'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Akhona Makalima (South Africa)

---

14 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Mozambique	1–0	Namibia
Simbine  28' Pelembe  71' Cândinho  73' Melito 80'	Report	Kambindu  9' Gebhardt  15' Fredericks  45+1'

Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Osiase Koto (Lesotho)

14 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Senegal	2–1	Malawi
Diop 11', 90+1' Ndoye  63' Gueye  76'	Report	Muyaba 35' Sanudi  43'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Keabetswe Dintwa (Bostswana)

Knockout stage

• In the knockout stage, extra-time and a penalty shoot-out will be used to decide the winner if necessary.

Bracket

	Semi-finals				Final
	16 July – Port Elizabeth
	Senegal (p)	2 (3)
					18 July – Port Elizabeth
	Eswatini	2 (0)
					Senegal	0 (4)
	16 July – Port Elizabeth
					South Africa (p)	0 (5)
	South Africa	3
	Mozambique	0
					Third place match
					18 July– Port Elizabeth
					Eswatini (p)	1 (4)
					Mozambique	1 (2)

Semi-finals

16 July 2021

14:00 UTC+2

Senegal	2–2	Eswatini
P. Djitte 58' M. Ndiaye  71' E. Kane 80'	Report	S. Magagula  11' S. Matse 15' S. Ndzinisa 20' F. Mamba  63'  67'
Penalties
E. Kane A. Dien M. Ba	3–0	S. Gamedze S. Ndzinisa N. Mamba

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Osiase Koto (Lesotho)

16 July 2021

17:00 UTC+2

South Africa	3–0	Mozambique
N. Ngcobo 24'  62' S. Sithebe  39' M. Maart 59' S. Letsoalo 73' (pen.)	Report	F. Macaime  33' S. Shaquille  45+1' D. Muzé  58' J. Pelembe  79' N. Ernesto  86'

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Brighton Chimene (Zimbabwe)

Third place match

18 July 2021

12:00 UTC+2

Eswatini	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Mozambique
S. Magagula  42' K. Mkhontfo 89'	Report	C. Mathe  4' S. Nangy  14' D. Muzé  15' M. Thauzene 39'
Penalties
P. Dlamini L. Mkhonta S. Mkhwanazi S. Mathabela	4–2	J. Mapangane S. Nangy S. Malico A. Alifa

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Abongile Tom (South Africa)

Final

18 July 2021

15:30 UTC+2

Senegal	0–0 (a.e.t.)	South Africa
	Report
Penalties
E. Kane A. Diene F. Fall D. Mendy M. Ba P. N'diaye	4–5	L. Maboe S. Sithebe E. Brooks S. Ngobeni V. Mothwa N. Mobbie

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Referee: Audrick Nkole (Zambia)

Statistics

Goalscorers

There were 53 goals scored in 24 matches, for an average of 2.21 goals per match.

4 goals

• Sepana Letsoalo

3 goals

• Thatayaone Kgamanyane
• Tumisang Orebonye
• Elmo Kambindu
• Justin Shonga

2 goals

• Sabelo Ndzinisa
• Sera Motebang
• Khuda Ike Muyaba
• Pepe Massar Dijitte
• Abu Bakry Diop

1 goal

• Felix Badenhorst
• Sandile Gomedze
• Fanelo Mamba
• Sifiso Matse
• Khethukulhe Mkhontfo
• Tumelo Khutlang
• Schumacher Kuwali
• Micium Mhone
• Melque Melito
• Fancisco Simbine
• Victor Jancinto Vitinho
• Marcel Papama
• Mohamed Rassoul Ba
• Albert Diène
• El Hadji Kane
• Abdoul Ndoye
• Moegamat Yusuf Maart
• Kagiso Joseph Malinga
• Sphelele Mkhulise
• Njabulo Ngcobo
• Thabang Sibanyoni
• Qadr Amini
• Patrick Ben Musaka
• Blessing Sarupinda
• Khetkhokuhle Mkhontfo
• Martinho Alberto Thauzene

1 own goal

• Qadr Amini (against Namibia)