All four teams name strong squads for Malawi 4-Nations tournament

* The tournament presents a valuable opportunity for the four teams to prepare for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup

* As well as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaigns

By Duncan Mlanjira

Taking advantage of the FIFA open window for international matches, all four senior national teams for Malawi 4-Nations tournament Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the hosts have assembled their strong squads.

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Scheduled to start on Saturday, March 26, the Flames’ opponents Kenya are bringing 13 foreign-based legion — goalkeeper Ian Otieno (ZESCO-Zambia); defenders Collins Sichenje (AIK-Sweden), Joseph Okumu (Reims-France), Johnstone Omurwa (Estrela-Portugal), Dennis Ng’ang’a (ZANACO-Zambia), Daniel Anyembe (Viborg-Denmark) and Eric Ouma (Rakow-Poland).

The midfield has Alphonce Omija (Dhofar-Oman), Richard Odada (Aalborg-Denmark), Ayub Timbe (Sebail-Azeberijan), Eric Johanna  (UTA-Romania) while forwards are Michael Olunga (Duhail-Oman), Jonah Ayunga (ST. Mirren-Scotland).

For the Flames, coach Patrick Mabedi has goalkeeper goalkeeper Brighton Munthali of Black Leopard in South Africa alongside fellow local shot stoppers, Innocent Nyasulu (Nyasa Big Bullets) and George Chokooka (Silver Strikers).

Coach Mabedi and his charges

In defence, they are Jubril Okedina (Cambridge United-England); Chembezi Denis (Al-Qasim Sports Club) alongside Mark Lameck, Nickson Mwase  (both Silver strikers), Daniel Chimbalanga (MAFCO), Stanley Sanudi, Lawrence Chaziya (both Mighty Wanderers), Yamikani Mologeni, Blessings Mpokera (both Nyasa Big Bullets), Alex Kambilinya (Mighty Wakawaka Tigers) and Joseph Balakasi (Dedza Dynamos).

Midfielders are John Banda (UD Songo-Mozambique), Robert Saizi (ZANACO-Zambia), Takondwa Maosa (Brentwood Town FC), Lloyd Njaliwa (Costa do sol-Mozambique) alongside Chrispin Mapemba, Lloyd Aaron, Patrick Mwaungulu, Lanjesi Nkhoma, Chikumbutso Salima (all Nyasa Big Bullets), Wisdom Mpinganjira (Mighty Wanderers), Chimwemwe Idana, Patrick Macheso (both Silver Strikers) and Wongani Lungu (Ekwendeni Hammers).

Strikers are Gabadinho Mhango (Moroka Swallows-South Africa), Chawanangwa Kaonga (ZANACO), Chifundo Mphasi (Kabwe Warriors-Zambia), Henri Kumwenda (Butler Men’s soccer) alongside Ephraim Kondowe (Nyasa Big Bullets).

Zambia coach Avram Grant

Fresh from their participation at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Côte d’Ivoire 2023, Zambia’s coach Avram Grant is bringing with him Stoppilla Sunzu of Cangzhou Mighty Lions (China), Frankie Musonda (AYR United-Scotland), Gift Mphande (Hapoel Rishon Lezion FC-Israel) as foreign-based defenders.

His midfielders are Benson Sakala (Mlada Boleslav-Czech Republic), Lubambo Musonda (Sikebord IF-Denmark), Miguel Chaiwa Club Schaffhausen-Switzerland), Emmanuel Banda (Club Rijeka-Croatia), Clatous Chama (Simba SC-Tanzania), and Obinno Chisala (Costa Do Sol-Mozambique).

Strikers are Patson Daka (Leicester City-England), Kennedy Musonda (Young Africans-Tanzania) and Lameck Banda (Lecce-Italy).

Zimbabwe coach Norman Mapeza

Zimbabwe coach, Norman Mapeza’s foreign legion include goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva (Brentford B, England); defenders: Shane Maroodza (Huddersfield Town, England), Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns-South Africa), Gerald Takwara (Ohod FC, Saudi Arabia), Teenage Hadebe (Tumosan Konyaspor, Turkey), Munashe Garananga (KV Mechelen, Belgium), Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle, England), Jordan Zemura (Udinese Calcio, Italy) and Joey Phuthi (Sheffield Wednesday, England).

His midfield includes Marshall Munetsi (Stade de Reims, France), Andy Rinomhota (Rotherham United, England), Tivonge Rushesha (Reading FC, England) and Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England).

The forwards are Tinotenda Kadewere (FC Nantes, France), Daniel Msendami (Jwaneng Galaxy, Botswana), Tawanda Maswanhise (Leicester City, England) and Bonne Macauley (Cambridge United, England).

The 4-Nations tournament presents a valuable opportunity for the four teams to prepare for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2025 AFCON qualifying campaigns.

Malawi’s Group H opponents for 2026 FIFA World Cup are Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Liberia and São Tomé e Principe while Kenya are in Group F with Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Burundi and Seychelles.

Zimbabwe are in Group C alongside Nigeria, South Africa, Benin, Rwanda and Lesotho with Zambia in Group E with Morocco, Congo, Tanzania, Niger and Eritrea.

The qualifying matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup started in November and will resume in June in which the Flames are on 3rd position having beaten Liberia 1-0 away in Monrovia before losing by same margin against Tunisia here at home.

The Flames tie on 3 points with Namibia but Namibia are on second position on goal difference while Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia tie on six points after registering two wins in Match Day 1 & 2 in November but Tunisia are at the top having a goal difference of 5 against Equatorial Guinea’s two.

Equatorial Guinea first overcame Namibia 1-0 and Liberia also 1-0 while Tunisia first beat São Tomé e Principe 4-0 before beating the Flames 1-0 with Namibia seeing off Sao Tome e Principe 2-0.

After June, the next qualifying matches for Flames’ Group H will be in 2025 (March, September, October and November).

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The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup tournament is through a complex qualification as the final — to be hosted jointly by the United States of America, Mexico and Canada — will have 48 participating countries instead of the conventional 32 giving an advantage for Africa to field more teams.

The top team from each group after Match Day 10 shall earn an automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals and additionally, the four best second-placed teams from all nine groups will engage in a continental playoff, determining a single victor who will then proceed to a second and final playoff. 

This final stage will comprise six teams from various confederations, with the top two emerging as qualified participants, ultimately making up the 48 competing teams.

The other African qualifiers are Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Djibouti (Group A); Senegal, Congo DR, Mauritania, Togo, Sudan, South Sudan (Group B); Cameroon, Cape Verde, Angola, Libya, Swaziland, Mauritius (Group D); Algeria, Guinea, Uganda, Mozambique, Botswana, Somalia (Group G).

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