Flames coach Kallisto Pasuwa will miss the services of six players in this afternoon’s TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (Chan) qualification play-offs first leg against Comoros at Bingu National Stadium because they do not have passports.
The six, namely Allen Chihana, Wallace Adam , Chris Lwemba, Khumbo Banda, Emmanuel Allan and Moses Banda cannot participate in the tie because Confederation of African Football (CAF) only recognises a passport as a means of identification.
positive to carry the day. | Nation
Pasuwa in a pre-match interview bemoaned the absence of the six players who were expected to have their debut for the Flames.
He said: “We went into camp last week and to the guys whom we called, we had some guys like Wilson. The strikers were also maybe occupied in their teams.
“And then we had all of the guys who came in and those guys who came in, we had a number of players again whom until today, I think, they don’t have passports again for them to be eligible to play.”
Pasuwa is also grappling with match-fitness having assembled the team while off-season.
He said: “Then besides that, you know, we were in pre-season and to most of the guys we’ve been trying to manage fitness levels and also the tactical part of it, as I said, which one thing like I’m saying is, you end up having most of the guys also into injuries.
“We need to sit down and see how best we can move on and get the results. It’s good to teams like Bullets, teams like Silver, they had started their pre-season and I think the players were in good shape in terms of fitness.”
The Zimbabwean tactician also warned his charges against complacency, saying the islanders are capable of causing trouble.
“But again I’m saying to each and every one we mustn’t take Comoros to be a team which people can see by name. It’s a good team which has been playing together for long now. The team which has been playing in Cosafa Cup and even Chan is very solid.
“We are saying also to our camp, let’s go out there and play total football. We need to be positive in order for us to carry the day. It’s very difficult. But again, you need to have an answer to it because people out there, they need results only,” he said.
Apart from the six, Pasuwa said Chikumbutso Salima is also ruled out due to an injury.
But the coach still has all local players that he called up for the match such as goalkeepers Richard Chimbamba and George Chikooka, defenders Timothy Silwimba, McDonald Lameck, Alick Lungu, Maxwell Paipi, Nixon Mwase; and midfielders Wisdom Mpinganjira, Zebron Kalima, Uchizi Vunga, Yankho Singo, Lloyd Aaron, Wongani Lungu and strikers Ephraim Kondowe and Emmanuel Saviel.
If successful, the Flames will face the winner between Egypt and South Africa.
In another first round fixture, Gabon will face The Gambia with the winner facing Algeria who were seeded.
The first-round first leg will be played today while the return leg will be between March 7 and 9.
The second round first leg is set for May 2 and4 while the return legs will be between May 9 and 11.
The two winners from second round of the play offs play-offs will fill the two slots in Group C, alongside Uganda, Niger and Guinea.
