The Flames started preparations for their upcoming 2024 African Nations Championsship qualifying play-offs at the weekend at Mpira Technical Centre in Chiwembe Township, Blantyre.
The Malawi National Football Team will face Comoros in the first leg between February 28 and March 2 away while the second leg will follow between March 7 and 9.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said in an interview yesterday that out of the 27 players that were called into camp, only Kamuzu Barracks forward Olson Kanjira has not reported.
“In essence the preparations started on Saturday with medical tests and other logistics, but from today [yesterday], it is full throttle,” he said.
“The only absentee from the squad list is Olson, who is working on a visa for his trip to Japan for trials.”
Reacting to the draw last week, Frames coach Kallisto Pasuwa called for sound preparations, saying the island nation are now a force to be reckoned with.
“They are now a force to reckon with in African football. They now have tactically and technically sound players; hence, the need for us to prepare in a way that will make us victorious in these games,” he said.
Pasuwa said the Chan qualifiers pose a challenge to the Flames since the domestic league is on break.
“In terms of periodisation, we just have to work with the time we have and juggle between conditioning and tactical approach for the game,” the former FCB Nyasa Big Bullets mentor said.
Pasuwa left out the majority of regulars in his squad.
Some notable exclusions are TNM Super League champions Silver Strikers attacking midfielder Chimwemwe Idana and Mighty Wanderers defender Stanley Sanudi, who is Flames’ most capped local player. Sanudi’s teammate and 2024 TNM Super League season top goal-scorer Isaac Kaliyati has also been dropped.
Also missing from the squad are the top-eight scorers in the 2024 season such as George Chaomba and Isaac Msiska of Creck Sporting Club, Kamuzu Barracks’ Zeliat Nkhoma, Blessings Mwalilino formerly of Karonga United, but now with Wanderers, Ramahdan Ntafu of Chitipa United and Wanderers’ Promise Kamwendo.
Former Wanderers goalkeeper William Thole and ex-Bullets defender Gomezgani Chirwa, who are outside the country on club-hunting mission, have also be left out.
Instead, Pasuwa has opted for novices such as Amos Sande, Joseph MacDonald (Ekhaya), Khumbo Banda (Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos), Chris Lwemba (Creck), Moses Banda (Civo), Charles Nkhoma (Moyale), Auspicious Kazongola (Mafco), Wallace Adam (Wanderers) and Allen Chihana (Karonga).
