Mponda names Under-20 final squad
Malawi Under-20 national football team coach Peter Mponda has named a 20-man squad for the 2019 Cosafa Under-20 Youth Championship to be held in Lusaka, Zambia from December 4 to 14.
Team manager Aubrey Nankhuni said after two weeks training they had picked players who are capable of winning the youth championship.
“We have picked players on merit. We have selected players who we believe are capable of delivering.
“We have challenged the players to win the championship. Look, Zambia Under-17 national n
Championship right here in Malawi. We can also do the same at their backyard,” he said.team came and won the Cosafa
Initially, Mponda called 40 players, 16 of whom were in the squad that took part in the CAF Under-20 qualifiers and the 2018 Cosafa Championship while nine graduated from the Under-17 national team that participated at the 2017 and 2018 Cosafa Youth Championship in Mauritius.
Malawi will start their campaign with a fixture against Comoros at Nkoloma Stadium on December 4 while fellow Group A members hosts Zambia and Botswana will clash in the other fixture.
Angola and Seychelles will mark the official start of the tournament with an early kick off at the same venue.
Group C will kick off their games on December 5 at the Sunset Stadium as Mozambique take on e-Swatini.
Group B opening games will then follow at the same venue as Lesotho take on Madagascar while South Africa face Mauritius.
Malawi’s second group game is on December 7 against Botswana while the last one is against hosts Zambia on December 9.
The group games will conclude on December 10, with the semi-finals set to be played two days later.
Two top teams in group A and C will clash in the semi-final while Group B winner will take on the best placed runner-up in the other semi-final.
On December 14 the two losing semi-finalists will clash in a third place play-off will be played followed by the grand final.
Last year, Malawi did not make it to the knockout stage following two losses to hosts Zambia (2-0) and Democratic Republic of Congo (3-1) and a 1-1 draw against Mozambique.
The following is the full squad:
Goalkeepers: Elias Missi, Emmanuel Kanthiti
Defenders: Hadji Wali, Innocent Shema, Joseph Balakasi, Henry Chiwaya, Blessings Mpokera, Believe June
Midfielders: Patrick Mwaungulu, Azizi Mwakifuna, Charles Nkhoma, Kingsly Kuwali, Francisco Madinga, Chinsinsi Maonga, Chikondi Kamanga, David Meleka
Strikers: Alick Lungu, Lanjesi Nkhoma, Clement Nyondo, Wisdom Mpinganjira.
