Back in the fold
Flames coach Meck Mwase has said South Africa-based defender Limbikani Mzava and striker Khuda Muyaba will be part of the foreign-based legion for the upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations’ (Afcon) qualifiers against Burkina Faso’s Stallions.
Burkina Faso will host the Flames on March 28 while the return leg is set for three days later at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Mzava has not played for the Flames for over a year while Muyaba last donned a Flames shirt in a Championship of African Nations (Chan) qualifier against e-Swatini in May last year.
Confirming the development in an interview yesterday, the Flames coach said: “Apart from the usual foreign-based players, we will also include others that have not been part of the squad of late such as Mzava and Khuda.
“After recovering from an injury, Mzava has been consistent for his club [Highlands Park] while Khuda was also outstanding last season in which he won the TNM Super League top scorer award and we feel they deserve to be considered.”
The Flames gaffer also said another South Africa-based forward Chawanangwa Kaonga, who turns out for National First Division side TS Sporting, will be recalled.
“He was part of the squad that played at last year’s Cosafa Cup and helped his former Mozambican team [Costa Do Sol] to win the Mozambican [Mocambola] League. So, he will be considered as well,”
Mwase said defender Charles Petro and midfielder Fransisco Madinga who have just signed for top league outfits in Moldova and Georgia respectively, will be called up, so too striker Schumacher Kuwali who has just returned to Mozambique’s Costa Do Sol.
He said the others are the usual ones—Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango, Gerald Phiri Jnr, Richard Mbulu and Dennis Chembezi—who are based in South Africa, others are Mozambique-based John ‘CJ’ Banda and unattached Azerbaijan-based Robin Ngalande.
“It is good that we now have a good number of foreign-based players and we need to take a look at them,” said Mwase.
Mzava said he is relishing a return to the Flames after quite a while.
“It was not by design that I wasn’t coming for national duty. There were times when I was injured and there were also times when I wasn’t being called.
“But I recently spoke to the coach and informed him that I was fit and ready to return for national duty.
“There are crucial games coming up and I can’t wait to be part of the squad,” he said.
Muyaba was not available for comment.
Last season he became the first player to score over 20 goals in the TNM Super League in 14 years despite being sidelined at national team level.
The last player to score as much goals was Be Forward Wanderers’ Aggrey Kanyenda who in 2005 bagged 26.
Muyaba has not surpassed Kanyenda and all-time record holder former Nyasa Big Bullets striker Ganizani Malunga who netted 28 goals.
