* Why would you pick Under-23 for FIFA recognised games? Dropping in rankings will make us play preliminary games in qualifiers
* As Zimbabwe coach Marian Marinica names star-studded squad for the same tournament in Botswana schedule for March 23-31
* While Flames’ coach Kalisto Pasuwa pleads the importance of exposing the team to stronger opposition across the continent
* We need to test ourselves against teams from North and West Africa where we know there are very strong sides — that will help improve our players
By Duncan Mlanjira
One football fan in Botswana, Marago Katse, has expressed his disappointment that the Zebras’ coach is intending to blend in some U-23 and their domestic league First Division players to feature in the 4-Nations Tournament, which they are hosting on March 23-31.
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To be hosted at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown, the 4-Nations Tournament is the brainchild of three COSAFA member associations, Malawi Zimbabwe and Zambia, which was mooted in February 2024 as a valuable regional competition in preparations forthcoming qualifiers during FIFA-sanctioned calendar dates for friendly matches.
Malawi hosted the inaugural edition in March 2024 at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, in which Kenya was invited as a guest nation and when Botswana was approached to participate as guests, the association did not just accept but also extended their willingness to host the competition — as indicated by Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Competitions Director Gomezgani Zakazaka.
Thus Katse is not impressed with the coach’s decision, asking him: “Why would you pick Under-23 for FIFA recognised games? Dropping in rankings will make us play preliminary games in qualifiers — Under-23 should be playing in COSAFA Cup!”
And true to his observation, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe have assembled strong squads, with Warriors coach Marian Mario Marinica reported to have called up a blend of domestic league players and foreign-based across Europe and Africa.
Mario Marinicha, former Flames coach
Key figures in his squad, according to iharare.com, include Knowledge Musona, Marvelous Nakamba, Prince Dube, Tawanda Maswanhise, Teenage Hadebe, and Munashe Garananga, among others — and receiving their first invitations are defender Corbin Mthunzi of Ipswich Town and midfielder Panashe Makwiramiti, who plays for Welsh top-flight side Haverfordwest County.
As Flames’ coach Kalisto Pasuwa intensifies his preparations, he is quoted by FAM, saying while the forthcoming games are very important — since it’s been two or three months without international matches — he also hinted on the importance of exposing the team to stronger opposition across the continent.
“We need to test ourselves against teams from North and West Africa where we know there are very strong sides — that will help improve our players,” he is quoted as saying.
But he was quick to emphasise that the 4-Nations Botswana 2026 will play an important role in helping the team rebuild cohesion and sharpen tactical understanding.
“These games are very important for us because we are playing after two or three months without international matches,” he told FAM.mw. “We need to observe the players’ cohesion and coordination in terms of tactics because there are many things we cannot fully address in just a few days.”
Russell Mwafulirwa putting the Flames’ attackers through their paces
The team has been undergoing rigorous training sessions since entering camp, with the technical panel focusing on assessing the players’ fitness levels and tactical readiness ahead of the team’s long-term rebuilding process to prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) 2027 campaign.
“So far the rebuilding process is going well, although we have had some setbacks such as our captain Gabadinho Mhango being injured again. We are trying to discover new players and give opportunities to those who may not have been playing regularly so that we broaden our squad,” he told FAM.mw.
The coach, who roped in Fischer Anong’a Kondowe as the team’s fitness coach to replace Peter Mgangira, who is currently committed to club duties ahead of the 2026/27 season, also thanked the domestic league clubs “for allowing the players to join camp during the pre-season”.
