Only one Super League player in U-20 squad
After getting criticised for using over-aged players in junior national teams, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has announced an Under-20 national team squad that has only one Super League player.
A 40-man squad that FAM released yesterday up to undergo trials from today to Sunday has players from academies, reserve sides and youth league teams and only one from Super League side—Karonga United’s Lusekelo Malema.
“Players and officials [are supposed] to report at Football Association of Malawi [FAM] head office at Mpira Village on Thursday 8th March 2018 by 1800 hours [6pm]. Players should bring a passport and a birth certificate. Those who do not have a passport should bring with them passport application forms already filled and completed on Part A, Part B and Part C . The process to be done at the district commissioners office,” reads a statement from FAM.
FAM technical director John Kaputa is in charge of the trials.
“Successful players after the trials will remain for camp training which will start on Monday 12th March 2018 and those who will not be successful will return,” he said.
Malawi will face Swaziland in the first round of the Total Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The first round of the qualifiers will be played on March 30-April 1 2018 with the return legs scheduled for April 20-22 2018.
The team will be under newly-appointed coaches Meke Mwase and his assistant Lovemore Fazili while Sibusiso Padambo is goalkeepers coach.
The full squad is as follows: Goalkeepers: Patrick Njolomole (Silver Reserve), Hastings Banda (Fish Eagles), Charles Thomo (Dwangwa Reserve), Chimwemwe Banda (Play Football Academy), Omar Wilson Ngulinga(Machinga Fifa/FAM U-16); Defenders: Haji Wali, Innocent Shema (Silver Youth), Charles Petro (Bullets Reserve), Timothy Silwimba (Mzuni Reserve),Joseph Balakasi (Ntopwa Super Boys), Maxwell Paipi (Silver Reserve), Henry Chiwaya (Wizards), Malema (Karonga United), Kelvin Kadzinje (Wizards), Gift Jana (Bullets Reserve), Sammy Byson; Midfielders: Peter Banda (Griffin Young Stars), Francisco Madinga (Wanderers Reserve), Stanley Biliat (Bullets Reserve), Clement Bidula (Masters Security Reserve), Auspicious Kazongola (Bullets Reserve), Patrick Mwaungulu (Bullets Reserve), Francis Nune (Ntontolinto Youth), Chawanangwa Gumbo (Katoto), Felix Dumakude (Bullets Reserve), David Daud (Bullets Reserve), Phillip Banda (Silver Youth), Chimwemwe Yasin (Bullets Reserve), Aaron Chilipa (Ndirande Stars), Maliko Kwalira (Play Football Malawi Academy), Christopher Mtambo(Chitipa United), Konzani Chitsa (Silver Youth), Frank Mfwetu (Young Swing–Nkhata- Bay), Mmadi (Woca Wanderes–Rumphi); Strikers: Chinsisi Maonga (Silver Youth), Francis Chizuze (Silver Youth), Prince Chingamcheke (Kamuzu Academy–Kasungu), Alex Tsamba (Bullets Reserve), Chikondi Mbeta (Magie Chombo Academy), Ronald Pangani (Silver Reserve).
