Coach Chimodzi positive despite Malawi flop: Nigeria fail to qualify for Africa finals

• Nigeria held to 2-2 draw by South Africa

• Bafana Bafana and Congo qualify for E. Guinea

• DR Congo qualify as best third-placed finisher

Head coach for Malawi, Young Chimodzi on Wednesday picked positives in the campaign for the Flames in Africa Cup of Nations despite losing a qualification ticket to the 2015 finals  in Equatorial Guinea after from Group B.

In Wednesday’s final round of matches, Malawi and Ethiopia drew 0-0 – a result that ended both sides’ chances of making it to the final.

Mali made it through to the finals with a 2-0 win over Algeria, who had already won the group and booked their place.

“Today, we had a bad game, but we created the chances. Unfortunately, we did not utilize them. This is football. I know that people are worried and as a team, we are also supposed to be worried, but this is a good team for the future,” Chimodzi told Ethiopia media.

“We have had bad performances and good performances along the way and we learnt our lessons. Today, we were playing at high altitude, sometimes breathing was a problem for some of the players, but it is just an excuse. We should have won the game,” he said.

Malawi, who finished the group on seven points after two wins, a draw and three defeats, last qualified for Afcon in 2010.

Meanwhile, defending champions Nigeria have failed to qualify for the 2015 African Cup of Nations after drawing 2-2 with South Africa on Wednesday.

The Super Eagles needed to better Congo’s result to make it through from Group A but went 2-0 down in Uyo after two goals from  Tokeo Rantie before battling back to earn a point through two late goals from Sone Aluko.

The top two teams in each of the seven groups qualified plus the best third-placed finisher, which was the Democratic Republic of Congo