Baptism of fire for U-23
Malawi Under-23 National Football Team on Monday lost 3-0 to star-studded Togo Under-23 in their second and final international friendly match at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya Turkey.
The junior Flames, who beat Kuwait 2-0 in their first match last Thursday, conceded two goals inside the quarter-hour mark in a match streamed live on SportEdge YouTube Channel.
The Netherlands top-flight outfit Feyenoord Rotterdam striker Karim Dermane scored the first goal just 31 seconds into the match after Kestern Simbi lost possession to his opponent.
France’s University of Bordeaux II striker Thibaut Klidje doubled the lead in the 14th minute from the spot after Blessings Mpokera fouled the Togolese player in the box.
Though the junior Flames tried to come back into the game, but the two goals proved difficult to cancel as the first-half ended 2-0 in favour of coach Paulo Duarte’s charges.
The second-half saw the junior Flames still trying to salvage something from the game, but poor defending helped Togo to add one more in the 50th minute.
Substitute Kevin Denkey, who plays for Cercle Brugge of Belgium, tapped in at close range near post from a cross that eluded the Malawi defence.
On Monday’s match, Under-23 head of technical panel Marian Mario Marinica made three changes to the starting line-up which featured against Kuwait.
Goalkeeper Emmace Nyirenda made his debut replacing Chance Mtete whereas in defence Simbi replaced Fanizo Mwansambo.
Midfielder Lloyd Aaron was also in the first XI ahead of Yamikani Chaima.
Marinica made some substitutions at half-time, taking out Nyirenda for Mtete.
Tatenda M’balaka also paved the way for Alick Lungu while Lloyd Aron was replaced by Robert Saizi.
After the match, the Romanian tactician downplayed the loss to the West Africans, saying the match was a good platform to expose the Under-23 players most of them on their first trip.
He said: “The results from these matches do not matter. It’s the experience as the boys have been given a chance to show their talent and skill against top players.”
Ten teams, namely Zambia, Republic of Congo, Liberia, Benin, Togo (senior), Togo Under-23, Tajikstan Under-23, Kuwait Under-23, Sierra Leone and Malawi gathered in the transcontinental country located mainly in Western Asia and partially in the Balkans in South East Europe for the matches to be played during the Fifa international date.
Malawi First XI
Nyirenda (Gk) (Mtete), Charles Petro (C), Hadji Wali, Simbi, Mpokera, Innocent Shema, M’balaka (Lungu), Aaron (Saizi), Chawanangwa Gumbo, Mphatso Kamanga, Christopher Gototo.
