Phiri picks strong U-20 squad
The Malawi under-20 national football team left for this year’s Cosafa Youth Championship in Kitwe, Zambia, with Head Coach, Gerald Phiri Snr, picking a strong squad for the tournament.
The junior Flames left the country through Chileka International Airport in Blantyre, three days before the competition kicks off.
Phiri, who is working under the guidance of senior national football team Head Coach, Ronny Van Geneudgen, has named three players from the FMB Under-20 Football league whereas 14 are from TNM Super League sides.
Three other players are from reserve sides of top flight teams.
Griffin Young Stars playmaker, Peter Banda, Clement Bingula of Masters Security under-20 team and Silver Strikers’ Hadji Wali are products of the FMB Under-20 League.
Well-known Super League stars such as Mike Mkwate of Nyasa Big Bullets, Silver Strikers’ Levison Maganizo and Gregory Nachipo of Blue Eagles are also part of the squad.
Phiri said he was confident the team would do well, having maintained 11 players that were part of the team during last year’s campaign.
“We should do well this time because we have maintained some 11 players who gained experience from last year’s tournament in South Africa. We learnt our lessons and we will do better,” he said.
Malawi are in Group A alongside hosts Zambia, Swaziland and Uganda.
Last year, the team returned from the event empty-handed after losing all three preliminary games without scoring a goal.
The full squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Charles Thom (Dwangwa United), Christopher Mikuwa (Blantyre United)
Defenders: Nixon Nyasulu (Bullets Reserves), Kondwani Mwaila (Silver Strikers), Ben Manyozo (Dwangwa United), Wali, Precious Sambani (Be Forward Wanderers), Kelvin Kadzinje, Sydney Chambulika, Charles Petro (Wizards)
Midfielders/Strikers: Nachipo, Chimwemwe Idana (Bullets Reserves), Mike Mkwate, Patrick Phiri (Wizards), Banda, Maganizo, Ronald Pangani (Silver Strikers), Ernest Petro (Bullets), Bingula, Francisco Madinga (Wanderers)
Geneugden – Snr Team Coach
Phiri Snr – Head Coach
De Klerk Msakakuona – Assistant Coach
Peter Mponda – Assistant Coach
Phillip Nyasulu – Goalkeeper Coach
Griffin Saenda jnr – Team Manager
Christopher Mwenegamba – Team Doctor
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