Litmus test for Scotland-based defender Kieran Ngwenya ahead of Flames’ friendly against Tanzania this Sunday afternoon

Kieran Ngwenya

* Coach Meck Mwase couldn’t travel after testing positive to COVID-19

* Alongside his assistant Lovemore Fazili and defender Peter Cholopi

* Gabadinho says they are approaching the game seriously and not just as a friendly

By Duncan Mlanjira

New Flames recruit, Scotland-based defender Kieran Ngwenya, faces his litmus test this Sunday afternoon if he would be featured in the friendly match against Tanzania.

Ngwenya, who was born to a Malawian father and a Caribbean mother, and plays for Aberdeen FC in the Scottish Premiership, was included in the Flames squad last week and immediately flew in to join the squad ahead of the friendly.

Coach Meck Mwase, who unfortunately couldn’t travel after testing positive to COVID-19 alongside his assistant Lovemore Fazili and defender Peter Cholopi, hopes that Ngwenya has come at the right time to “provide an immediate option on the left back following the injury of Precious Sambani”.

According to report, the three are all asymptomatic and have since gone into isolation. In their absence, assistant coach Bob Mpinganjira will be in charge and hopefully will featured Ngwenya from the strong 22-man squad.

Alongside new recruits in the team are Mighty Wanderers midfielder Vitumbiko Kumwenda and Nyasa Big Bullets defender Eric Kaonga.

The Flames are preparing for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers which start in September and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals to be held in Cameroun ?? from January.

And the 18-year-old Ngwenya gives coach Mwase the chance to reinforce his squad and he said is him soon after his arrival that “he is a young player who is playing at top level and will add value to the squad.”

Meanwhile, Flames forward, Gabadinho Mhango has told goal.com that they are approaching the friendly as a serious game at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Gaba, who plays for South African giants Orlando Pirates, is quoted as saying: “Morale is high in the camp and everybody is looking forward to playing in this game, and as players, the international game is very important to everyone.

“So for us, we don’t look at the game as just a friendly but as a serious match. I think it going to be a good game, not as a friendly but a good serious match game.

“We have a strong team and we are going out there to do our best, as Malawi we are going out to do our best because we can’t go to our rivals that we are like this, we are focused as a team to do well.

“We have played a couple of games against Tanzania, they are a good team, they are a tough team but we will just do what the coach tells us to do, and we will do our best.

“We don’t have any superstar in our squad, we are all superstars and we will do our best, I don’t want to talk about our squad, and I hope all our professionals will be selected to start in the game,” Gaba is quoted as saying by goal.com.

Assistant coach Bob Mpinganjira told goal.com that Tanzania are a very good side and “surely we are going to gain something from here and it is also our chance to try some of our players.

“We have some players who have not played any international game but they will have a chance,” he is quoted as saying.

The Flames were expected to start their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers away to Cameroun ?? between June 5-8 before hosting Mozambique ?? on match day 2 between June 11-14 but the window was cancelled due to current challenges caused by the CoVID-19 pandemic.

They now start against Côte d’Ivoire ?? in back-to-back fixtures — starting at home between September 1-4 and away between September 5-8.

Their last home match will be against Cameroun ?? between October 6-9 and wind up the campaign away in Mozambique ?? between October 10-12.

The June qualifiers would probably be shifted to March 2022 existing window — just after the AFCON finals.

The winners of the 10 groups will qualify for the next round where they will face off to identify the five teams that will qualify for the Qatar finals.