South Africa’s hopes of appearing at the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) suffered a blow when they were beaten 1-0 by hosts Malawi in the first leg of their final-round qualifier, played at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday afternoon.

Bafana Bafana will need to turn the tie around in the return game in Pretoria next weekend if they are to return to the CHAN tournament for the first time since hosting the event in 2014.

The first half saw the teams effectively cancel each other out in the cool and damp conditions, with neither Malawi nor South Africa able to take full control of the game.

However, the visitors were the more composed and prolific in possession, stringing together promising passing movements that never quite opened up the host’s defence, leaving the game goalless at the half-time interval.

South Africa continued to dominate possession in the second half, though Malawi almost claimed the lead in the 64th minute, as Alick Lungu’s cross-shot from the left flank almost drifted into the top corner, but goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto made a fine save.

The Flames built further pressure as the final whistle approached and scored the winning goal in the 89th minute via Zelieti Nkhoma, who was able to head home from a corner kick and send the supporters into a frenzy.

The return match will be played on Sunday, 11 May, at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria. The aggregate winners will qualify for the next CHAN, which will be played in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in August.

Malawi (0) 1 (Nkhoma 89’)

South Africa 0

SA: Mpoto, Jooste, Mngonyama, McCarthy, Mfolozi, Seabi (Zwane 62’), Gumede, Johannes, Mahlatsi (Sithole 75’), Potsane (Teto 75’), Mashiane (Jansen 64’)