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Flames in free fall

Malawi national football team, the Flames’ downward spiral has extended to seven losses in nine matches since October 2023.

Friday’s 4-0 whacking by Senegal’s Lions of Teranga in 2025 TotalEnergies African Cup of Nations (Afcon) means Malawi has won just two games in the past 12 months.

The Flames’ two victories are against Liberia (1-0) on November 17 2023 and Sao Tome (3- 1) on June 6 2024 in the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

The seven losses are against Tunisia (1-0) and Equatorial Guinea (1-0) in the 2026 Fifa World Cup, Kenya (4-0) and Zambia (2-1) in Four Nations Tourney in March 2024, Burundi (3-2), Burkina Faso (3-1) and Senegal (4-0) in 2025 Afcon.

In those nine matches, Malawi has scored just eight goals and conceded 19 goals.

In the period under review, the Flames have sank on Fifa rankings from 123 to 133.

Mabedi: Senegal is a very good team

Football analyst Charles Nyirenda in an interview said Malawi is paying the price of failing to invest in football.

He said: “To me, all this is happening because we have not invested in our football. Just look at the standards in our top-flight TNM Super League.

“Can we compete at the same level with other teams such Senegal or even neighbours like Zambia? Is our league producing players that can compete at international level?

“Just look at our pitches. Are they worth hosting top-flight league matches? All these are contributing to the standards of our football.”

Nyirenda said Football Association of Malawi’s (FAM) underfunding by government has also contributed to the dwindling standards.

“For instance, FAM submitted a budget of K2 billion or thereabout to government in the year in review.

“But how much did they get? A mere K200 million. So, like I said, we have much bigger problems starting from the top to the bottom.”

Another football analyst Raymond Siyaya said much as Malawi has funding challenges, coach Patrick Mabedi also shoulders the blame.

He said the coach has demonstrated that he lacks technical and tactical knowhow.

Said Siyaya: “This is cataclysmic. The Burundi game provided the tell-tale signs. It all boils down to the coach. Mabedi has been faulted on many managerial technical aspects. From selection of players to fielding and tactical nous. You don’t see any strategy.

“The Burundi debacle continues to mirror the Burkina Faso and the Senegal game. Mabedi is not a mentor but apparently a student who is learning while on the job. Better coaches in other countries have been fired for better performances.”

He noted that the goals Malawi has been conceding are a testimony of Mabedi’s failed project.

Siyaya said: “Defence is Patrick Mabedi’s niche but he has failed to organise and mentor the Flames’ defence and that speaks volumes of his incapacity. Goalkeeping and defence are always constant and not in a state of flux in modern football. Why does he keep changing players in these positions?”

After the latest loss to Senegal on Friday, Mabedi was lost of words.

He, however, attributed the score margin to a 16th minute red card to goalkeeper Brighton Munthali after a foul on Sadio Mane.

In 2025 Afcon campaign, the Flames are stuck at the bottom of the table in Group L with no point, having lost all their three matches.

With just the top two teams making it to the Morocco finals, the Flames’ qualification dreams are up in smoke as they host Senegal Tuesday at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

Burkina Faso and Senegal tie on seven points apiece while Burundi have three points.

In Wo r l d C u p qualification, the Flames are fourth in a six-team pool with six points from four matches, having won two and lost two.

Tunisia lead the group with 10 points while Namibia are second with eight.

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