Flames gaffer Patrick ‘General’ Mabedi has named a 20-man squad for the back-to-back 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Senegal.
The Flames will leave for Dakar, Senegal on Saturday October 5, 2024, for the first leg encounter on October 11 before playing their second leg on Mother’s Day at the Bingu International Stadium in Lilongwe four days later.
Mabedi has dropped defender Gomezgani Chirwa and striker Chifundo Mphasi, among others, but has included in the squad Mighty Mukuru Wanderers left back Timothy Silwimba and the once forgotten striker Richard Mbulu from Costa do Sol in Mozambique.
There have been growing calls from football lovers to include red-hot Wanderers midfielder Isaac Kaliati and experienced striker Gabadinho Mhango. However, in an interview with YFM Online, soccer analyst Bobby Kabango has described the call up as fair.
“We do not have options as most of these are average players. This is what we have, we cannot talk about Gaba who is into different cases in South Africa. Let’s support this team and the coach. If you look at the team that played Burkina Faso, only Chifundo Mphasi has been dropped,” said Kabango.
Meanwhile, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions director Gomezgani Zakazaka has clarified that Isaac Kaliati, William Thole, Chifundo Mphasi and Precious Sambani are on standby.
Below is the full squad
Goalkeepers: Brighton Munthali (Blue Eagles), George Chikooka (Silver Strikers)
Defenders: Mark Lameck and Nickson Mwase (Silver Strikers), Stanley Sanudi, Lawrence Chaziya and Timothy Silwimba (Mighty Mukuru Wanderers), and Denis Chembezi (Al Qasim, Iraq).
Midfielders: Lloyd Aaron (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets), Wisdom Mpinganjira (Mighty Mukuru Wanderers), Chimwemwe Idana (Silver Strikers), Patrick Mwaungulu and Lanjesi Nkhoma (Don Bosco, DRC), John Banda (UD Songo, Mozambique), Yamikani Chester and Lloyd Njaliwa (Costa do Sol, Mozambique), and Robert Saizi (Zanaco, Zambia).
Strikers: Zeliat Nkhoma (Kamuzu Barracks), Chawanangwa Kaonga (Zanaco, Zambia), and Richard Mbulu (Costa do Sol, Mozambique).
