Pasuwa v Ntseki
* Basically, they have selected all their best local players, and these are the players that are playing for the senior national team
* We have gone through the team that they’ve selected. These are the players that are playing in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers
By Duncan Mlanjira
Before flying out to Malawi yesterday for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) to be played at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, South Africa’s coach Molefi Ntseki said he is expecting “a very tough Malawi team”.
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A report on South Africa Football Association (SAFA) media platform quotes Ntseki as saying he and his technical team have spent a considerable amount of time analysing their opponents and they are anticipating a tough clash in Lilongwe.
“Yeah, I think we have gone through the team that they’ve selected,” he is quoted as saying ahead of the clash against fellow Council for Southern African Football Association (COSAFA).
“Basically, they have selected all their best local players, and these are the players that are playing for the national team,” he said, adding that the domestic league players coach Kalisto Pasuwa has selected are also playing in the senior national team.
“These are the players that are playing in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. So we are expecting a very tough team in Malawi, but I think we have done our homework and our players are looking forward to this game.
“So irrespective of whoever they have in camp, we also have to bring our A game. And our A game is more of a very good attitude, high level of determination, and high level of self-belief to say, ‘we’ll go into Malawi and implement our tactics’.”
He added that their approach is to go back home with a point or come back with three points.
The report indicates that Ntseki initially struggled to secure players for training as most of them were involved in domestic league assignments with their clubs — six of which are from that country’s top sides, Orlando Pirates (Yanga Madiba Malibongwe Khoza, Terrence Mashego); Mamelodi Sundowns (Neo Maema) and Kaizer Chiefs (Tebogo Potsane and Samkelo Zwane).
But the coach is quoted as saying he is happy to have a team that he believes can compete over two legs, saying: “The good thing is that they are all here and we are ready to go. We just have to play a game in Malawi with a very clear understanding that a goal in Malawi will be very important for us.”
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Coach Pasuwa is armed with a 25-man squad whose majority are from Nyasa Big Bullets (8); Silver Strikers (6) and Mighty Wanderers (5).
From Nyasa Big Bullets, he drafted in goalkeeper, Richard Chimbamba; defenders, Andrew Jovinala and Alick Lungu; midfielders, Yakho Singo, Lloyd Aaron Chawanangwa Gumbo and Wongani Lungu and striker, Chikumbutso Salima.
From Silver Strikers, he has goalkeeper, George Chikooka; defenders, McDonald Lameck, Nixon Mwase and Maxwell Paipi; midfielder, Zebron Kalima and forward, Binwel Katinji.
Mighty Wanderers have contributed defenders, Emmanuel Nyirenda; midfielder, Blessings Singini and attackers Wisdom Mpinganjira, Gaddie Chirwa and Promise Kamwendo.
The others are third goalkeeper, Lucky Tizola (Mighty Tigers FC); defenders, Khumbo Banda (Dedza Dynamos); Fanizo Mwansambo (Ekhaya FC); Charles Nkhoma (Moyale Barracks) and strikers, Zeliati Nkhoma and Olson Kanjira (both from Kamuzu Barracks).
The South Africans will host the Flames in the return match at Loftus Stadium in Tshwane on Sunday, May 11 fighting for a slot at the CHAN finals to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in August.
COSAFA will have four representative at the CHAN alongside Angola, Madagascar and Zambia, who already sealed their place in the 19-team finals.
According to COSAFA Media, winners between Malawi and South Africa will go into Group C along with co-hosts Uganda, Niger, Guinea and the other qualifier, one between Gambia and Algeria.
To reach this far, Malawi beat fellow COSAFA side Comoros 4-0 on aggregate after a pair of 2-0 wins in each leg while South Africa defeated Egypt 4-2 on aggregate after a 0-0 draw in first leg at home a super 3-1 away win in the return match in Ismailia.
