Flames held in Tanzania
Like old vintage wine, Esau Kanyenda keeps on getting better with age.
The battle-hardened forward put the Flames ahead against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars yesterday at CCM Kirumbu Stadium in Mwanza, Tanzania, but as is usually the case, Malawi could not hold on to their nerve as the hosts equalised in the 77th minute.
According to reports from Tanzania, Kanyenda put the Flames ahead in the fourth minute of the strength-testing match which coach Young Chimodzi said would give him a chance to assess new faces which included Zimbabwe-based winger Gerald Phiri Jnr and Red Lions’ Chikoti Chirwa.
The other uncapped players in the squad were Surestream FC midfielder Ernest Tambe and Airborne Rangers’ Amos Khamula.
Chimodzi also said the match would help the Flames tune up for the 2017 Afcon qualifiers and this year’s Confederation of African Football Associations (Cosafa) Cup.
The result is most likely to affect Flames’ position on the Fifa/Coca Cola World rankings.
Flames are currently ranked 91st in the world while Taifa Stars are on position 100. n
