The Flames yesterday returned from Botswana where they took part in the Mukuru Four Nations Tournament and arrived with no fanfare for the team.
In stark contrast to the usual reception after national duty, there were no supporters, no officials from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and no representatives from the Malawi National Council of Sports as the Flames arrived at 9am via Bakili Muluzi International Airport in Blantyre.
Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa in an interview confirmed the absence of the officials.
He said: “Yes, we were not there. Do you welcome losers? If they had won the competition, we would have been there.”
The gloomy homecoming followed a disappointing campaign in Francistown, where the Malawi National Football Team finished bottom of the four-team tournament after failing to win a match or score in open play.
Malawi lost to Zambia Under-23 on post-match penalties in the semi-finals before falling to hosts Botswana in the third-place play-off.
Upon arrival, Flames head coach Kallisto Pasuwa did not address the media.
But Football Association of Malawi operations director Gomezgani Zakazaka said the team “learnt a lot” at the tournament.
