Flames striker Frank Gabadinho Mhango spoke for the first time after he missed a flight from OR Tambo, South Africa, to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia on Sunday.
Mhango was supposed to meet the rest of his Flames teammates in Addis Ababa before proceeding to Monrovia, Liberia, for this Friday’s 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier.
The Moroka Swallows striker Tuesday said he was ready to travel to Liberia if fresh arrangements were made.
“Indeed, I missed the flight on Sunday. At first, I thought my flight was for 1pm but when I arrived at the airport I was told the flight was for 11am,’’ Mhango said.
He was expected to take part in the two World Cup qualifiers, having missed matches against Ethiopia and Guinea in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers.
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Meanwhile, Black Leopards goalkeeper Brighton Munthali joined the rest of the teammates in Addis Ababa Tuesday.
The Flames arrived in Monrovia Tuesday ahead of the match.
Coach Patrick Mabedi has travelled with 23 players out of the 25 players after midfielder Frank Willard was ruled out due to an injury he sustained in a league match for his club FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
Zambia-based striker Chawanangwa Kaonga is also out due to injury.
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Mabedi said apart from the absence of Mhango and Willard, the preparations were difficult.
“It was difficult to get the players as they were involved in [club] games until Sunday because the activities were still on in Malawi,” he said.
The Flames will host Tunisia in the second match of the qualifiers on Tuesday.
In other Group H opening matches, Equatorial Guinea will face Namibia today whereas Tunisia will face Sao Tome and Principe.
Group winners will qualify for World Cup finals whereas the four overall best runners-up will qualify for the play-offs.
