Ascent Academy duo trains with Iceland club

Ascent Soccer Academy duo of  Mwisho Mhango and Hermas Masinja have secured a professional training opportunity with Iceland top league side Breidablik FC.

The academy’s co-founder George Maguire said the two attracted the attention of Breidablik for the training placement following their outstanding display when Ascent competed and won the Rey Cup in Iceland when they defeated hosts Pottur 1-0 in the final last summer.

Mhango, 16, and Masinja, 17, arrived in Iceland on Wednesday to train with the Breidablik FC’s first team, which is in second place in Iceland’s top division.

Maguire said yesterday: “This is a major step beyond youth football for both Mhango and Masinja. It is a great opportunity to compete in a high-level professional football environment.

“Breidablik has a reputation of developing young talent and has produced a number of world-class professionals, including former Tottenham Hotspur and Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson.”

In a separate interview, Mhango and Masinja said they will try their best to use their placement as a springboard to securing professional football deals in Europe.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and I will make the most of it to  breakthrough into professional football in Europe,” Mhango said.

The two were part of the Malawi Under-20 national team that won the Four Nations Tournament in March in Lilongwe and recently played in the Under-17 national team at the Cosafa Championship, where Mhango was included in the tournament best-11 with a goal and three assists.

The two follow in the footsteps of other Ascent products Precious Kapunda (Under-19) and Levison Munyenyembe (Under-18), who are on contract at second-tier side UMF Afturelding.