National Sports

Malawi beach soccer team starts Copa Dar es Salaam preps

Malawi beach soccer national team has started camp training in Salima in preparation for Copa Dar Salaam Beach Soccer Tournament set for Coco Beach in Tanzania from December 22 to 26.

Coach Stereo Gondwe has called 10 players for the competition organised by Tanzania Football Federation (TFF).

Gondwe: We have the best crop that we wanted

The squad comprises goalkeepers Desmond Mkundi and Dickson Mushani; infield players James Chikoka,  Zahir Hamis, Sandram Saidi, Benson Genasi, Dala Simba, Ganizani Mphande, Isaac Kajamu and Venancio Malunga.

Gondwe said he was confident that his team, which finished last in the 2018 tournament, will perform better at this year’s tournament.

 “We selected players from across the country and we have the best crop that we wanted.

“Last year we struggled but we have worked on the problems we had. We are looking forward to a brilliant tournament,” he said.

In 2017, Malawi won silver after losing 3-2 to Zanzibar.

This year, eight countries, namely Uganda, Seychelles, Malawi, Burundi, Libya, Kenya, Mozambique and hosts Tanzania, are expected to take part in the tournament.

The tournament will be played in a two-group league format.

 Group winners will qualify for the semi-finals while the bottom two teams will battle it out in the play-offs for the fifth to eighth places.

A total of 20 matches are expected to be played during the five days of the tournament. Hosts Tanzania are defending champions after they beat Uganda’s Sand Cranes in the 2019 tournaments.

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