* The only player from Malawi’s Africa Cup of Nations 2022 squad in the current CHAN Flames team
* Morale is high in camp. If we perform well at home, we have a good chance of qualifying
Maravi Express
Zebron Kalima, the only player from Malawi’s Africa Cup of Nations AfCON (2022) squad in the current African Nations Championship (CHAN) team, has expressed confidence in the team’s chances of getting a positive result against South Africa tomorrow at Bingu National Stadium.
Advertisement
“The preparations are going well,” he is quoted as saying by Famnw. “We know Malawi has never qualified for the CHAN finals, but now that we are in the second round, if we perform well at home, we have a good chance to qualify.
“Morale is high in camp. CHAN is different from AfCON because in AfCON qualifiers, teams assemble their best international players, but in CHAN, it’s all about domestic league-based talent which puts us on a more level playing field with our opponents.”
The return leg set for Sunday, May 11 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria and coach Kalisto 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.
Advertisement
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).
Winners of this round will earn a slot at the CHAN finals to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in August in which COSAFA will have four representatives 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.—Content by Fam.mw & COSAFA Media; edited by Maravi Express
