* We always appreciate the fans’ support, and we need them again for this second leg
* Comoros will come at us aggressively because they have nothing to lose
* As coach Kalisto Pasuwa cautions his players against complacency after winning the first leg last Sunday
Maravi Express
Flames captain Maxwell Paipi is calling for fans’ huge support for this afternoon’s second leg of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against Comoros at Bingu National Stadium, saying their opponents will definitely come out fighting aggressively because they have nothing to lose.
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The Flames delivered a solid performance winning the first leg 2-0 last Sunday with goals from Binwell Katinji and Zebron Kalima — claiming their fourth win in five meetings against the Coelacanths.
Paipi acknowledged that Comoros are a strong side capable of staging a comeback but expressed confidence that the Flames are prepared for the challenge.
“We won the first game, but that match is behind us,” he is quoted as saying by Fam.mw. “Our focus is now on the second leg. As a team, we are prepared, and the morale is high.
“In football, anything can happen — if we managed to score two goals in the first leg, they can also score three in the second leg. That’s why we are working hard to secure another win [in the second leg].”
The turn up was massive last Sunday
Paipi thus urged Malawians to turn up in numbers to support the team: “We always appreciate the fans’ support, and we need them again tomorrow.
“We know where we want to be in this competition, and this is a chance for us to make history. Every player is aware of our past performances in this tournament, and we are determined to qualify for the finals for the first time.”
For the last round of the qualifiers, the winners of this afternoon’s tie will face the winners between South Africa and Egypt, who played out a 1-1 draw in last Sunday’s qualifier at the Orlando Stadium.
The winner of that final tie will book a place at the final tournament to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in August.
Meanwhile, head coach Kalisto Pasuwa has cautioned his players against complacency, emphasising the importance of maintaining focus, saying the tie is far from over.
Pasuwa
“It’s a game that is just starting,” he is quoted as saying by Fam.mw. “In football, if you start thinking you are safe with a 2-0 lead, you might lose everything. We need to be compact and stick to our normal style of play.”
Pasuwa admitted that the squad’s fitness levels were not yet at their peak, given that the players are coming off the off-season: “In the first game, we struggled with fitness after the 55th minute, so we have been working on improving that.
“While we haven’t pushed the players to their absolute limits, we’ve ensured they can sustain their energy throughout the second half.
“We also struggled with ball management in the first leg, and we’ve been working on that as well. Hopefully, we will see improvement on Saturday.”
Despite their two-goal lead, Pasuwa dismissed the idea of adopting a defensive approach for the second leg: “Just like in the first leg, we need to be compact and defend in numbers, but at the same time, we must remain positive going forward.
“We are not going to sit back — we will attack. As you know, attacking is also a form of defending. So, we will play offensively while staying disciplined at the back,” he said.
The Flames have suffered two injury setbacks, with Mighty Wanderers left-back Timothy Silwimba and Silver Strikers defender Washali Jaziya ruled out due to injuries.
However, there is good news as striker Chikumbutso Salima has recovered from a minor injury that ruled him out of the first leg and is available for selection.
“From the 25 players we called up, only two are unavailable — Silwimba and Jaziya — the remaining 23 are ready to play,” Pasuwa said. “Salima was part of the 25-man squad in camp, and with two players out, he remains in contention for tomorrow’s match.”
After the first leg win, the Flames have an edge over the Comoros in past competitions — two in Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON); two in COSAFA Cup while Comoros beat Malawi 2-1 in the AfCON qualifiers in 2018 but Malawi won 2-0 in 2023 COSAFA, 2-1 in 2019 COSAFA and 1-0 in AFCON qualifiers in 2017.
Comoros used Malawi as a home venue for the first leg at Bingu Stadium as Confederation of African Football (CAF) certified their stadiums unfit to host international matches.—Content by Fam.mw; edited by Maravi Express
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