The Flames will be out to break their Africa Nations Championship (Chan) qualification jinx when they face South Africa in the first leg of the final qualifying round this afternoon at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
The Malawi National Football Team has never qualified for the continental showpiece meant for local-based players and they have twice failed to make the cut on the away goal rule.
In the last edition, Malawi were held 1-1 by Mozambique at home while the return leg in Maputo ended goalless for the Mambas to punch a ticket to the finals, the more reason coach Kallisto Pasuwa, wants his charges to aim at getting it over and done in the first leg.
use of home ground advantage.
| Courtesy of FAM
“In tournaments like these it is important to make good use of home advantage because it eases pressure when you play away,” he said.
“So, we should aim at getting a win to have good chances of qualifying.”
The Zimbabwean tactician also said they have done some homework on their opponents and they know what to expect.
“We have had three to four days of preparations and I would say we are ready,” he said.
Pasuwa is expected to ring some changes with a few players such as striker Promise Kamwendo and defender Emmanuel Nyirenda expected to make their debuts.
Kamwendo is tipped to partner Binwell Katinji, who scored in both first-round qualifying play-offs against Comoros.
Yankho Singo, Wongani Lungu and Lloyd Aaron will keep the engines
running in the middle of the pack while Nickson Mwase, McDonald Lameck, Alick Lungu and captain Maxwell Paipi will form the rear guard to shield goalkeeper George Chikooka.
Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana, who have qualified for Chan twice before, have said they are anticipating a tough match this afternoon.
Their coach Molefi Ntseki was quoted by South Africa Football Association website safa.net as saying that the main objective is to score away from home.
He said after initially struggling to secure players, he is happy to have a team that he believes can compete over two legs.
“We just have to play with a very clear understanding that a goal in Malawi will be very important for us,” said Ntseki.
The Bafana gaffer further said they have spent a considerable amount of time analysing the Flames and they are anticipating a tough clash.
He said: “I think we have gone through the team that they’ve selected. Basically, they have selected all their best local players and these are the players that are playing for the national team.
“Most of their players are playing in the World Cup qualifiers also featured in Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations] qualifiers. So, we are expecting a very tough game, but I think we have done our homework and our players are looking forward to this game.
“So, irrespective of whoever they have in camp, we also have to bring our A game. Our A game is more of a very good attitude, high level of determination, and high level of self-belief.”
However, Ntseki will be without two of his players that were on target against Egypt, Siphelele Luthuli and Neo Maema.
To qualify for the final round, the Flames beat Comoros 4-0 on aggregate after winning both legs by 2-0 margins while Bafana ousted North African giants Egypt 4-2 on aggregate.
They drew the first leg one- all at home before winning the second leg 1-3 away in Ismailia.
In their 15 meetings, the Flames have only beaten South Africa once in 2001. They have lost 10 times with the other four ending on draws.
On Fifa rankings, Malawi are 132nd while South Africa are 56th.
