Malawi staged a dramatic comeback to beat Zimbabwe by 2-1 after striker Gabadinho Mhango found the back of the net twice to keep their hopes of reaching the knock phases of the Africa Cup of Nations alive.
Coming from defeats in their first matches in Group B, the two sides went into the game with eyes fixed on picking the maximum points to keep them in the competition in Cameroon, but Malawi came on top to win the day.
Zimbabwe took the lead in the 38th minute of the game with a brilliant header from Ishmael Wadi following an accurate cross by Onismor Bhasera. However, the celebration of the lead was short lived when The Flames shot themselves back into the game just five minutes later with beautiful volley from Gabadinho Mhango for the equalizer. The first half ended 1-1.
Malawi came into the second half with high intensity but were denied by the wood work twice in the game. Their efforts finally paid off in the 58th minute when Gabadinho Mhango fired them into the lead with yet another superb finish in the box. Zimbabwe failed to find the equalizer and the game ended 2-1 in favour of Malawi, who are just in their third appearance in the AFCON after tasting the tournament first in 1984 and later in 2010 in Angola.
The other group B match between Senegal and Guinea ended in a goalless stalemate after both teams won their first matches in the group.
Malawi are just a point behind Senegal and Guinea who have four points each, and a point in their last group game against Senegal will see Malawi advance to the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history.
Photo: CAF
