Marinica names a 26-man local based players to secure a friendly games before AFCON

By Antony Isaiah Jr:……

The Malawi National Football Team, Flames Head Coach, Mario Marian Marinica has named a 26-man local based squad as the Team continue to prepare for the 2023 TotalEnergies African Cup Of Nations qualifiers.

The Flames who sit second in Group D, dubbed group of death as it contains Egypt, Ethiopia and Guinea will play the Pharaohs back-to-back next month- starting win an away game in Cairo on March 20th before a return leg at Bingu National Stadium eight days later.

Announcing his squad, the Romanian said the training will be in phases as they will [along the way] release the players for their respective club duties.

Mario lifted the lid to say they are planning to secure a friendly game later this month and they want to have all the players available for the match.

“The first stage is that we will have 26 players from Monday, 5th February to 8th February and thereafter release them to go to their clubs,” Mario told the Fam’s editorial team. “Secondly, we will have the players from 14th to 24th February because we are planning to arrange a friendly match by late February so we are trying to work towards that. We want to have all the players available for the match in order to have a have a good exercise and fruitful friendly match.”

Marinica added that after the friendly game which he will use as a tool to assess his players, the team intend to do another part of the camp where they are planning to depart for Saud Arabia either on 8th March.

“We are planning to arrange about three friendly matches with Saud Arabia local premier league teams according to the number of days that we are going to spend there.

“After that, we had planned to leave for Egypt for the first leg of the Afcon Qualifiers but that is subject to confirmation of the date by CAF. If the game is on 24th, we will depart for Egypt on 21st March so that we have two training sessions there before the match.

“It’s obviously not easy for us to prepare now because there are players who are still on trials, others are unsettled and some are outside Malawi. We need more time to prepare because we have players playing in different clubs and at different levels as compared to our opponents whose players are at big clubs and don’t need more time for camp to jell.

“We need more time yes, but at the same time we understand the players come from clubs and we have started talks with individual clubs to come to a compromise so we are on a right track now,” he added.

In his squad, Mario has named three goals including in-form Brighton Munthali and Nyasa Big Bullets’ defending midfielder, Frank Willard has also been added.

Mighty Mukuru Wanderers’ new recruits, Jakama Kumwembe, Mphatso Kamanga, Gaddie Chirwa have all been named including veteran Chiukepo Msowoya.

Here is the full squad:

Mario names a 26-man local players squad to go into camp on Monday. The Romanian has included Nyasa Big Bullets Defending Midfielder, Frank Willard, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers new boys, Christopher Jakama Kumwembe, Mphatso Kamanga.

Goalkeepers: Charles Thom, Brighton Munthali, Clever Nkungula

Defenders: Lawrence Chaziya, Paul Ndhlovu, Blessings Mpokera, Kelvin Kadzinje, Miracle Gabeya, Stanley Sanudi, Gomezgani Chirwa, Nickson Mwase,Precious Sambani, Mark Fodya, Alick Lungu

Midfielders: Chawanangwa Gumbo, Gilbert Chirwa, Micium Mhone, Zebron Kalima, Patrick Mwaungulu, Frank Willard

Strikers: Chiukepo Msowoya, Stain Davie, Gaddi Chirwa, Mphatso Kamanga, Promise Kamwendo, Christopher Kamwambe.