The Malawi Beach Soccer Team, the Hustlers, has suffered a setback after five players have been ruled out of the 2023 Cosafa Beach Soccer Championship due to lack of travelling documents.
The team is expected to leave tomorrow for the tournament, scheduled for March 17 to 23 in Durban, South Africa.
However, coach Willy Kumilambe has been forced to travel with 10 players, instead of 15 players, to the tournament venue.
This comes at a time the country has suspended the issuance of passports after the system was hacked.
Beach Soccer Association (BSA) President Gift Chimbalanga said efforts to secure travelling documents for the players and officials proved futile.
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“We exhausted all channels to secure passports for the players. We had no option but to drop the players and officials that did not have the documents,” Chimbalanga said.
Malawi have been drawn in Group A alongside hosts South Africa, guest nation Saudi Arabia and Seychelles.
The team will start the Cosafa Championship campaign against South Africa on Saturday before meeting Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
They will wrap up group matches against Seychelles on Monday.
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Despite the absence of some players, Kumilambe was confident of doing well.
“It is a setback but we have an experienced team, one that is capable of beating any team. We are on a serious mission,” he said.
Isaac Kajamu, Sandram Sadi, Simba Dala and Justin Bonongwe are some of the players who participated in the 2022 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in Vilankulo, Mozambique.
Meanwhile, Football Association of Malawi President Fleetwood Haiya has challenged the team to better its previous record and win the tournament.
Haiya visited the team’s training camp in Salima District on Saturday.
He said the team has what it takes to win gold at the regional showpiece.
“Despite not playing in many international competitions since 2015, you have not disappointed whenever given an opportunity to compete. We know that it is going to be tough, with new teams such as Saudi Arabia and Morocco in the picture, but for you to be the best, you must beat top sides,” Haiya said.
Malawi are making a return to the Cosafa championship after a nine-year absence.
The team finished second when it participated in the tournament after suffering a 9-4 loss to Madagascar in Seychelles.
However, in 2022 Malawi finished sixth at the Afcon Beach Soccer tournament.
