Airtel Top 8 winners Ekhaya Football Club (FC) have expressed excitement with dominating the provisional Malawi under-20 National Football Team call-up.
The FDH Bank Premiership side has contributed the highest number of players to the team, with 14 making it into the 32-man list for the Caf Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Cosafa qualifiers scheduled for September 18 to 27 in Mozambique.
Ekhaya Chief Executive Officer Thando Mhango said the dominance was a clear indication of the progress the club was making in the game.
“We are very proud to see so many of our players [being] called up to the under-20 national team. It is a reflection of the talent we, at Ekhaya, have and the work being done in our development structures.
“What is even more encouraging is that these are the same young players who are performing consistently and making an impact in the league. So, to us, this is not a surprise but a recognition of the quality and potential within our squad,” Mhango said.
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He congratulated the called-up players and the technical team, which is headed by Ekhaya coach Enos Chatama, for making the grade.
Malawi will compete in Group C of the qualifiers against Zambia, Comoros and Botswana.
Chatama has included 10 players from the 18-member squad that represented the country at the 2025 Cosafa Under-20 Championship during the Region 5 Youth Games in Windhoek, Namibia.
Preparations for the regional showpiece started last week with a scouting exercise while full training commenced Monday.
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The regional qualifiers will determine the teams to represent Southern Africa at the Caf U-20 Afcon finals.
Full Squad:
Goalkeepers—Luciano Fanuel, Jacob Banda, Sande Amos Willard (all Ekhaya).
Defenders—Prince Eugene Chiumia (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), Innocent Malekano Munga (Ekhaya), Maxwell Sidreck (Ekhaya), Ratif Afik Shalif (Red Lions), James Msongole (Ekhaya), Precius Manjawira (Ekhaya), Jalas Fellix (Bullets), Hope Mustafa (Ekhaya), Kondwani Tebulo (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), Rex Chikaya (Ekhaya), Chikondi Likambale (Silver Strikers), Blessings Phiri (Silver)
Midfielders—Mapalo Gumbo (Mzuzu City Hammers), Austin Yasin (Silver), Precius Kwalenga (Dedza Dynamos), James Lumbe (Ekhaya), Moffat Mnyontho (Silver), Webster Mzunda (Blue Eagles), Wahita Luckson (Creck FC), Madalitso Safuli (Bullets), Keneth Mwale, Hastings Malinda, Peter Kasiya (all Ekhaya)
Forwards—Lameck Mithi (Mighty Wanderers), Misheck Billiat (Bullets), Clever Kalambo (Bullets), Grant Chibal (Ekhaya), Clifford Chisale (Bullets), Oscar Chikwapula (Mpira Mmudzi Mwathu).
