FAM engaging with Ministry of Sports for immediate replacement of Flames coach Mabedi

* As Kalisto Pasuwa appointed as interim head coach, with Peter Mponda and Prichard Mwansa as his assistants

* Former Flames coaches who took the team to the AfCON Angola 2010, Kinnah Phiri and Young Chimodzi are technical advisors

By Duncan Mlanjira

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) executive committee has approved decision to fire Malawi Flames head coach, Patrick Mabedi and the recommendation to appoint an interim technical panel while at the same time, it is to engage Ministry of Sports through the Malawi National Council of Sports to commence immediate recruitment of the team’s permanent coach.

Nyasa Big Bullets award winning coach, Kalisto Pasuwa is, meanwhile, head of the interim technical panel to conclude Flames’ upcoming engagements in the ceremonial Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) qualifiers from which they are already out having lost all of their four games under Mabedi.

Silver Strikers’ coach Peter Mponda is Pasuwa’s first assistant with MAFCO’s coach Prichard Mwansa as the second assistant while former Flames coaches, who took the team to the AfCON Angola 2010, Kinnah Phiri and Young Chimodzi are technical advisors.

The decisions were made yesterday during the executive committee’s virtual meeting in which urgent issues that are fundamental to Transforming the Game of Football in Malawi were discussed and the key resolutions and approvals were made that included endorsing South African, Patrice Motsepe for the candidacy of president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), of which he is the incumbent.

All three teams in Group L of the 2024 AfCON qualifiers beat the Flames: Burundi 3-1; Burkina Faso 3-1 and Senegal 4-0 and 1-0 in back-to-back — leaving Senegal and Burkina Faso qualifying for the finals in Morocco.

The Flames remain with assignments against Burkina Faso and Burundi as just their ceremonial matches and both opponents will certainly make sure they keep their clean sheet against the Flames — thus the replacement of Mabedi to try as much as possible to salvage some pride in winning the remaining fixtures.

Pasuwa was head coach of Mponda at Nyasa Big Bullets before Mponda joint Silver Strikers for the TNM Super League 2024, who has steered the team to the top of the table throughout the period and are on the verge of clinching the title.

Mponda’s team also contributed nine players in Mabedi’s 26-man squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers against São Tomé e Principe at Bingu National Stadium on June 6 and Equatorial Guinea away in Malabo on June 10.

The players were goalkeeper George Chikooka, who continue to lead in keeping clean sheets in the TNM Super League 2024, as well as Maxwell Paipi, Tatenda M’balaka, McDonald Lameck, Nickson John Mwase in defence and Chimwemwe Idana, Patrick Macheso, Uchizi Vunga and Chikondi Kamanga in midfield.

The next game of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be against Namibia followed by away to Tunisia both in March 2025 before meeting Namibia again away and Liberia at home — both in September.

Then in October, the Flames will host Equatorial Guinea before traveling to confront São Tomé e Principe, whom they beat 3-1 at Bingu National Stadium in June’s Matchday 3 before losing 0-1 in Matchday 4 away to Equatoguineans — thus the need to recruit a permanent coach ahead of the games.

The Flames won 1-0 in their opening campaign away to Liberia, losing 0-1 at home against Tunisia to perch on 4th place in Group H in the race for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to be hosted jointly by the United States of America, Mexico and Canada.

The 23rd edition finals will have 48 participating countries instead of the conventional 32 giving an advantage for Africa to field more teams and the top team from each of the nine groups after Match Day 10 shall earn an automatic qualification.

The four best second-placed and top ranked 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.