Coach Mabedi and his charges
* It will primarily be used to prepare for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 African qualifiers
* In which they grouped with Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Liberia and São Tomé
By Duncan Mlanjira
Flames go into camp on Monday in preparation for the dead rubber Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Guinea on September 9 Bingu National stadium in Lilongwe.
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Coach Patrick Mabedi has named a 30-man provisional squad that is expected to next months’ TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 2023 qualifier against Guinea.
Malawi will host Guinea at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe that will primarily be used to prepare for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 African qualifiers in which they grouped with Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Liberia and São Tomé.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches will take place on 10 matchdays over the course of the next two years — the first of which will be on November 13-21, 2023.
The next match days will be held on June 3-11, 2024; March 17-25, 2025; September 1-9, 2025; October 6-14, 2025; and November 10-18, 2025.
In his provisional squad, Mabedi has roped in four new faces — goalkeeper George Chiooka of Chitipa United and defenders Tatenda Mbalaka of Silver Strikers, Chimwemwe Nkhoma of Mayamiko Stars and Alex Kambilinya of Mighty Tigers.
The rest of the players were part of his last squad for last month’s COSAFA Cup and unattached and non-Super League players and those whose teams will not be involved in Super League midweek fixtures will join camp on Monday at Mpira Village in Blantyre while those players whose teams will be engaged will join camp on Thursday — before leaving for Lilongwe on Friday.
A statement from Football Association of Malawi ( FAM) says Mabedi is expected to name the list of foreign based players next week and despite the Flames being out of contention for the AFCON finals qualification, Mabedi is quouted as saying the team need to get a result and finish the campaign on a positive note.
“It’s a home game and we have to win to end the campaign on a high note,” he is quoted as saying. “We started with a win and must end with a win. We are building a young team of local based players, and most will be playing at home in front of own fans for the first time.
“So, they need to get a result to build their confidence ahead of the World Cup qualifiers in November,” he said.
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The following is the full squad:
Goalkeepers: Innocent Nyasulu (Mighty Tigers Fc), George Chikooka (Chitipa United), Austin Chirambo (Nyasa Reserves)
Defenders: Stanley Sanudi, Lawrence Chaziya (Mighty Wanderers), Mark Lameck (Blue Eagles FC) Nickson Mwase, Tatenda M’balaka (Silver Strikers), Blessings Mpokera (Nyasa Big Bullets) Chimwemwe Nkhoma (Mayamiko Stars), Yamikani Mologeni (Bangwe All Stars), Daniel Chimbalanga (MAFCO), Alex Kambilinya (Mighty Tigers) Chembezi Denis (unattached)
Midfielders: Robert Gomez Saizi (Bangwe All Stars), Lanjesi Nkhoma, Frank Willard, Patrick Mwaungulu (Nyasa Big Bullets), Lloyd Aaron (Civil Service United), Chimwemwe Idana (unattached), Chikondi Kamanga (Silver Strikers), Wongani Lungu (Ekwendeni Hammers), Chrispine Mapemba (Nyasa Reserves), Blessings Singini (Ekwendeni Hammers), Wisdom Mpinganjira, Francisco Madinga (Mighty Wanderers), Bennie Manyozo (Mighty Tigers)
Strikers: Christopher Kumwembe (Mighty Wanderers), Clement Nyondo (Dedza Dynamos), Mphatso Magaleta (Ekwendeni Hammers)
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