The Malawi Senior National Football team, which is widely known as ‘the Flames,’ are camping on Monday in readiness for the forthcoming 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (Chan) last qualifying round against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
The Flames will play host to the South Africa’s Bafana Bafana early next month on May 3 in Malawi’s capital at Lilongwe’s football mecca, Bingu National Stadium with the return leg scheduled for a week later May 11 in South Africa.
The winner will qualify for the finals of the competition to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in August.
In an interview with the local press, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said all is set for the Flames’ preparations and they are ready for Bafana Bafana’s showdown.
Zakazaka said: “The technical panel, which headed by Callisto Pasuwa, will release the final squad this weekend and the players will report to camp soon after their weekend fixtures.”
The Flames qualified for the last qualifying round with a with a 4-0 aggregate win over Comoros following 2-0 victories in first and second legs at Bingu National Stadium in February.
Malawi national team coach Callisto Pasuwa said: “Everything is ready for us to go into camp and prepare for the South African game and we look forward to the challenge.
“We know the task ahead is daunting, but we are ready to conquer and move to the next chapter of the competition. The boys are aware how important this game is and why we should win it.”
To qualify, Bafana Bafana thumped The Pharaohs of Egypt in a thrilling a 4-2 aggregate after a 1-1 first leg draw at home and a resounding 3-1 victory away in Cairo.
Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki is also expected to name his squad this week.
The South Africa Football Association (SAFA) says the South African gaffer will not make changes to the squad that beat one of the African football giants, Egypt.
“Everyone is looking forward to the training sessions and to the game. We are looking forward to the next phase of the qualifiers,” Ntseki is quoted to have said on SAFA website.
“We know the task ahead is daunting, but we are ready to conquer and move to the next chapter.”
Callisto Pasuwa
Malawi National Team Coach
