Flames out to make up for Cosafa exit

The Flames have vowed to make up for their Cosafa Cup exit by lifting themselves overdrive in this afternoon’s plate phase semi-final against Angola’s Neglas Palancas in Zambia.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 3pm in Kitwe. At stake is R100 000 [about K3.5 million] which is the prize money for the plate phase winners.

Malawi were shown the exit by defending champions Zimbabwe Warriors through post-match penalties on Saturday in Lusaka.

But captain Joseph ‘Shakira’ Kamwendo and team leader Moses Mkandawire said a win over Angola could offer some solace to the disappointed soccer fraternity.

Said Kamwendo: “It is unfortunate that we lost to Zimbabwe. Penalties are a lottery, they can go either way. But we have put the loss aside and we are determined to pick up the pieces starting with the game against Angola.”

He also said there were lots of positives to be drawn from the Warriors game.

“It is good that the future of the team is looking bright,” said Kamwendo who also dismissed reports that he refused to take a penalty against Zimbabwe.

Reports were awash that some senior players who are good penalty takers such as Kamwendo and Douglas Chirambo refused to take responsibility.

“Why are people talking too much as if they knew what’s going on? It is upsetting to hear what people talk sometimes.

“Anyway, let us leave it like that because there is no way ndingakane kumenya penalty. But I guess this is their time, so let them talk. However, they need to realise that we are not stupid and we have families that get concerned when they hear such things,” said Kamwendo.

Mkandawire, who is also FAM first vice-president, said they were working on lifting the spirits of the players following the loss to Zimbabwe.

“We needed to work on the psychological aspect knowing that we are coming from a loss and we had a good meeting with both the players and the coaching panel,” said Mkandawire.

The winner of today’s match will face the winner between Namibia and Mozambique in the plate final.