Flames off to Tanzania
Malawi National Football Team left Thursday for Tanzania to play a friendly match against the Taifa Stars Saturday.
The Flames Coach, Ronny van Geneugden, has travelled with a 20-member squad for the match scheduled for Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The Belgian has dropped players such as Be Forward Wanderers’ goalkeeper, Richard Chipuwa, Premier Bet Wizards’ defender Ian Chinyama, Griffin Young Stars attacker, Peter Banda, Nyasa Big Bullets’ Reserve’s Chimwemwe Idana and Dwangwa United custodian Charles Thom.
Foreign-based players such as Gerald Phiri jnr, Gabadinho Mhango, Richard Mbulu, Robert Ng’ambi, Charles Swini, Frank Banda and John Banda are in the squad.
Winger Dalitso Sailesi is missing from the squad as his Zambian team, Lusaka Dynamos, did not release him whereas South Africa-based Captain, Limbikani Mzava, is injured.
Notable inclusion in the Flames’ squad is Wanderers winger Felix Zulu.
The Taifa Stars and the Flames last met at the Cosafa Castle Cup in South Africa in June. Tanzania won 2-0 courtesy of Shiza Kichuya’s brace.
Tanzania have named in their squad foreign-based players such as Belgium-based KRC Genk striker Mbwana Samatta, Abdi Banda from South Africa’s Baroka FC, Hamisi Abdallah and Abdul Hilal from Kenya’s Sony Sugar and Tusker FC, respectively.
Other are Morocco’s Difaa Hassan El-Jadidah striker, Simon Msuva and Morel Orgenes from Portugal‘s FC Famalicao.
The Flames will take on Tanzania to prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers set to resume next March.
The Flames are in Group B comprising leaders Cameroon, Comoros and Morocco.
Malawi beat Comoros 1-0 in the first-leg whereas Cameroon defeated Morocco 2-1 in Yaounde.
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