Mtawali keeps faith in U-20 squad
Under-20 national soccer team coach Ernest Mtawali says he has kept faith in his squad that is expected to regroup on Tuesday ahead of the Africa Youth Championship final qualification round first leg against Zambia on August 16.
Mtawali said the mission at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre will be to win the match unlike in the past when they were held by Botswana and DR Congo.
“We are playing a totally different team that could be hard to beat at their backyard and we need to drum into the players on the need to win at home, otherwise it could prove difficult,” said Mtawali.
According to a 25-member squad released by the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) on Friday, notable new faces are Southern Region Football League (SRFL) Division One Golden Boot winner Tony Biasi and another forward Raphael Phiri.
The squad also includes two players who recently underwent successful trials in South Africa— red-hot forward Chawanangwa Kawonga and defender Miracle Gabeya.
Kawonga, who has scored three goals in three games during this campaign, attended trials at Maritzburg United while Gabeya made the grade at Bloemfontein Celtic.
According to a press statement from FAM, the players are requested to report at the Malawi National Council of Sports on Tuesday at noon before starting training later in the day.
“The team is expected to play a friendly match against Lesotho Under-20 on August 9 2014 at Kamuzu Stadium before playing Zambia a week later,” reads part of the statement from FAM.
The return match is slated for August 31 in Ndola.
The following is the full squad: Goalkeepers: Brighton Munthali, Dalitso Makunganya and Enock Matangazira; Defenders: Trevor Kalema, Gabeya, Boston Kabango, Swedi Limbani, Mark Fodya, Stanely Sanudi, Lovemore Jere and Levison Maganizo; Midfielders: Mathias Nyirenda, Ben Manyozo, Ernest Tambe, Isaac Mwale, Isaac Kaliati, Patrick Phiri, Abraham Kamwendo and Dalitso Sayilesi; Strikers: Khumbo Ng’ambi, Kawonga, Precious Msosa, Wongani Kuchisanja, Biasi and Phiri; Technical panel: Mtawali (head coach), Gerald Phiri (assistant coach), Nicholas Mhango (team manager), S’busiso Padambo (goalkeeper trainer), Levi Mwale (team doctor). n
