(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles' Under-20 national team lost 2-0 against Mauritius in their opening Group C match of the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations’ (COSAFA) championship in South Africa.

The team of Coach Vivian Bothe conceded the first goal in the 19^th minute – a diving header from Alex Ferre that put the Mauritian team ahead 1-0 at the half-time break.

Only minutes after coming back into the match, Mauritius doubled the score through Marcus Dimanche.

The match was a tight affair in spite of the Mauritius team leading the score. Both sides ended the game with 10 men after Seychellois Daryl Louise and Mauritian Jean Sarah received red cards.

Seychelles are in group C, which includes South Sudan which replaced Namibia, who pulled out due to financial constraints, and Angola playing with the same team that participated in the COSAFA Castle Cup in June.

In the other match of the group, Angola defeated South Sudan 1-0, a result that puts Mauritius at the top of the group, followed by Angola. The 2-0 defeat for Seychelles leave the team at the bottom of the group.

Seychelles’ next match is on December 10 against Angola.

In another COSAFA competition this time for Under-17 in July this year, Seychelles did not make it to the final stage after losing 1-0 to Mauritius and 4-1 to Namibia in their Group A matches.