FLAMES EYE FIRST WIN IN nd’jamena

The Flames have vowed to emerge out of this afternoon’s battle for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final qualifying round slot in Nd’jamena, Chad, bruised but triumphant.

They take on the Sao of Chad at the Idriss Mahamat Ouya Stadium. A draw or at worst a loss by one goal is what the Flames need to go into the final preliminary qualifying round, having won the first leg 2-0 in Blantyre a fortnight ago.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 5pm Malawi time. So, by 7pm we should know the result.

Should the Flames sail through, they will face winners between Benin and Sao Tome. Just like the Flames, Benin carry into the return leg a two-goal lead.

While the Flames appear to be in the comfort zone, the worrying factor is that they have never won during their two previous outings in Nd’jamena. Memories are still fresh of how the Sao frustrated Flames’ quest for a historic back-to-back qualification for the African football safari in 2012. Then, Chad snatched an equaliser in virtually the last minute of added time as the Flames led 2-1.

In Flames’ second Nd’jamena foray, Chad emerged 3-2 victors during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations’ preliminary qualifiers.

However, midfielder Joseph Kamwendo and assistant coach Jack Chamangwana have said this time around, they will be out to break the Chad jinx.

“It is never easy playing in Chad, they can frustrate you to the limit. They turn to all sorts of mind games, including physical intimidation,” said Kamwendo.

“We have never won at their backyard, but we do not want that to have a psychological effect on us. The fact that we have never won at their backyard, is no guarantee that we cannot win this time around. The fact that we have a two goal lead, also gives us confidence,” he said.

Chamangwana, who was easily accessible on the phone than coach Young Chimodzi, said the Flames are prepared both psychologically and physically. But he sounded caution on approach to the game.

“If our approach will be casual on the basis that we already have a two-goal lead, then we will be creating a difficult situation for ourselves and that has been the message to the players,” he said.

Chamangwana said Chad are likely to start at full throttle to get an early goal so as to unsettle his charges.

“So, our approach will be to pounce on them through counter-attacks as we did in the first leg. If we could score early then we could put them off because they will have a tall order of scoring three goals,” he said.

Chamangwana hinted that while the approach will be “a bit defensive”, they will start with a two-pronged attack with scorer of the two goals in the first leg, Gabadinho Mhango, partnering Atusaye Nyondo again.

Apparently, Nyondo also scored two goals when Flames lost 3-2 in Chad in June 2012 in a 2013 preliminary qualifier.

There is also likelihood of throwing in defensive midfielders Chimango Kayira and either Phillip Masiye or Young Chimodzi Jnr to provide the shield in the central role while Kamwendo and Ndaziona Chatsalira will coordinate play from the flanks.

Limbikani Mzava will marshal the defence having missed the first leg as he was serving a suspension and he will mesh with John Lanjesi whereas captain Moses Chavura will start as a left-back and Bashir Maunde on the right.

But  Chad’s French coach Emmanuel Trigoat refused to fly the white flag after losing the first leg, insisting the battle was far from over.

“It is not finished. I find comfort in that Malawi have never beaten us at home and I have an idea of how we will approach the game,” he said.

His key men are Mahamat Labbo, Ezechiel N’dousssel and Karl Maxy Bethelemy who have been impressive in most of the games against the Flames.

Past meetings: Malawi 6 Chad 2 (Afcon 2012 qualifier); Chad 2 Malawi 2 (Afcon 2012 qualifier); Chad 3 Malawi 2 (Afcon 2013 preliminary qualifier); Malawi 2 Chad 0 (2013 Afcon preliminary qualifier); Malawi 2 Chad 0 (2015 Afcon preliminary qualifier).