Depu Equals COSAFA Cup Scoring Record as Angola Thrash Lesotho in Mangaung

Angolan striker Depu etched his name into the history books on Sunday, netting a hat-trick to guide Angola to a dominant 4-0 win over Lesotho in their Group B clash at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Mangaung, Bloemfontein, at the 2025 HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup.

The three goals took Depu’s tally in this year’s tournament to four, bringing his overall total to nine—matching Eswatini’s Felix Badenhorst as the all-time leading scorer in COSAFA Cup history.

Angola’s emphatic victory, the biggest margin of the competition so far, places them at the top of Group B with four points after two matches. Lesotho follow with three points, while Namibia and Malawi sit on two and one point respectively after a goalless draw in Sunday’s earlier fixture.

Angola Dominate from Start to Finish

The Palancas Negras were ruthless in attack, with most of the damage inflicted in the first half. Vidinho opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, heading home from a corner to give Angola a deserved lead. Just two minutes later, Depu doubled the advantage, converting a precise cross from Milson with a powerful header.

The second half saw Angola continue their attacking intent. Depu struck again in the 52nd minute, once more with his head, virtually sealing the result. But the 2024 Golden Boot winner wasn’t finished. In the final moments of the match, Depu completed his hat-trick with a delicate chip over the goalkeeper, set up by a clever through ball from Manuel.

With nine career goals in the COSAFA Cup, Depu now shares the top scorer title with Felix Badenhorst, who reached the milestone during his appearances for Eswatini.

Namibia and Malawi Share the Spoils

In the earlier Group B match, Namibia and Malawi played out a 0-0 draw, a result that keeps both teams in contention heading into Tuesday’s final round of fixtures. Malawi had more of the attacking intent, registering eight shots compared to Namibia’s three, but failed to convert their chances.

Group B Final Fixtures Set Up Tense Finish

The last round of matches in Group B on Tuesday will be crucial in determining the group winner and semi-finalist. Angola will face Malawi, while Lesotho take on Namibia. With only the top team from each group progressing to the knockout stage, all four sides remain in contention.

Monday’s Action: Eyes on Madagascar and Comoros

The tournament continues on Monday with decisive fixtures in Groups C and D.

• Madagascar vs Eswatini (15h00 CAT / 13h00 GMT): Madagascar can book their place in the semi-finals with a win. They opened with a 1-0 victory over Tanzania and are aiming for their first-ever win over Eswatini, having lost three and drawn two of their five previous meetings.
• Comoros vs Botswana (18h00 CAT / 16h00 GMT): After an impressive 1-0 win over Zambia, Comoros could also advance with another victory. However, they’ll be searching for their first-ever goal and win against Botswana, who have held them to a draw and a win in past meetings.

How to Watch

All COSAFA Cup matches are being streamed live on FIFA+, with full coverage and updates available on the HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup 2025 page.

Sunday’s Results – Group B

• Angola 4 (Vidinho 42’, Depu 44’, 52’, 90’)
• Lesotho 0
• Namibia 0 – 0 Malawi

Monday’s Fixtures

• Group C: Madagascar vs Eswatini – 15h00 CAT / 13h00 GMT
• Group D: Comoros vs Botswana – 18h00 CAT / 16h00 GMT

With the group stage nearing its climax, all eyes are now on whether Depu can break the all-time goal record outright—and whether Angola can convert their strong form into a second consecutive COSAFA Cup title.