Off the domestic battle field, Pasuwa and Mponda now can focus on building stronger Flames in ceremonial AfCON 2025 qualifiers

* The remaining games are against Burundi away in Côte d’Ivore on Thursday, November 14

* Before closing their campaign with a home match against Burkina Faso at Bingu National Stadium on Monday, November 18

* As FAM looks towards hiring permanent coach to steer the team in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers scheduled for next year

Recap by Duncan Mlanjira

After his successful campaign of retaining the Airtel Top 8, interim Flames head coach Kalisto Pasuwa — alongside the coach Peter Mponda, whose team he beat yesterday in the final — now can focus on building a stronger national team in the remaining African Cup of Nations (AfCON 2025) qualifiers, which are just ceremonial as Flames are already out of contention.

The remaining games are against Burundi away in Côte d’Ivore on Thursday, November 14, before closing their campaign with a home match against Burkina Faso at Bingu National Stadium on Monday, November 18.

After firing coach Patrick Mabedi, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) appointed Pasuwa as caretaker coach alongside Silver Strikers’ mentor Mponda as 1st assistants and MAFCO’s coach Mwansa as the 2nd assistant primarily to honour the last AfCON 2025.

Meanwhile, FAM is engaging with Ministry of Sports through the Malawi National Council of Sports to commence immediate recruitment of the team’s permanent coach to steer the team in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers scheduled for next year.

They are up against Namibia followed by an away fixture 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.

Following the dismissal of Patrick Mabedi, FAM appointed Pasuwa and his assistants in the interim — whose technical advisors are Kinnah Phiri and Young Chimodzi, who took the Flames to the AfCON Angola 2020.

They technical team hit the ground running by recalling South Africa-based striker Gabadinho Mhango (Marumo Gallants), who had been left out by Mabedi citing some reasons which were unjustified.

Also recalled was defender Charles Petro, who plays in Romania — joining other foreign-based players, defenders Dennis Chembezi (Al Qasim SC-Iraq); Charles Petro (FC Botosani-Romania); midfielders John Banda (UD Songo, Mozambique); Chawanangwa Kaonga (Zanaco FC-Zambia); Lanjesi Nkhoma & Patrick Mwaungulu (Don Bosco-DRC) and strikers Richard Mbulu & Lloyd Njaliwa (Costa Do Sol-Mozambique).

The local based players are expected to regroup in Lilongwe before leaving for Côte d’Ivoire while the foreign based players will travel direct to Abidjan from their respective bases.

The domestic league players are:

Goalkeepers: William Thole (Mighty Wanderers), George Chikooka (Silver Strikers) and Richard Chimbamba (Nyasa Big Bullets);

Defenders: McDonald Lameck, Maxwell Paipi & Nickson Mwase (all Silver Strikers), Gomezgani Chirwa, Nickson Nyasulu & Alick Lungu (Nyasa Big Bullets), Timothy Silwimba (Mighty Wanderers);

 Midfielders: Yankho Singo, Lloyd Aaron (Nyasa Big Bullets), Wisdom Mpinganjira (Mighty Wanderers), Zebron Kalima (Silver Strikers);

 Strikers: Gadi Chirwa (Mighty Wanderers), Zeliat Nkhoma (Kamuzu Barracks).

Though just ceremonial matches since Burkina Faso already qualified for the AfCON 2025 alongside Senegal, both Burkina Faso and Burundi will certainly make sure they keep their clean sheet against the Flames having beaten them in both their matches.

Burundi won 3-1 at Bingu National Stadium before Burkina Faso triumphed 3-1 at their home pitch while Senegal won 4-0 at home and 1-0 in Lilongwe in back-to-back — leaving Senegal and Burkina Faso qualifying for the finals in Morocco.

The replacement of coach Mabedi is to try as much as possible to salvage some pride in winning the remaining fixtures as FAM is negotiating for the permanent coach to steer the team in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers.

The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup 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.