Football starlet chooses Malawi over Zimbabwe

Feb 06, 2017 Sports 89
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The 17-year-old son of former Zimbabwe national football team left back Allan Johnson has chosen to play for Malawi instead of the Warriors, Malawi24 has established.

Azriel Johnson was born to a Malawian woman in Blantyre in 1999 when his father was playing for Be Forward Wanderers under Rahman Gumbo.

According to Zimbabwe’ Daily News, the decision was influenced by the authorities’ failure to resolve his citizenship status.

Azriel Johnson (In red) chooses Malawi.
Image credit – Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

“My wish was always for my son to play for Zimbabwe but the process for him to acquire a local passport was just too long. When Malawi heard about his predicament shortly before Cosafa Under-20 championship, they acted quickly to sort out his documents. “They even treated him like a king and sent air ticketd for him to fly to Malawi to join the team. That experience was wonderful for him and he quickly fell in love with Malawi,” Johnson was quoted by daily news.

The youngstar, who has already represented the country at Cosafa Under-20 championship in South Africa, has attracted interest from Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.

He is currently in United States of America where he is studying at St. Benedict’ Preparatory School in New Jersey.

This is a relief to Malawi who lost Khama Billiat to the Warriors.

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89 Comments

  3. Sakudziwa zomwe wasankha…ku malawi mkawina mumalandira k20 000, draw ndi k5 000 ndipo ikaluz ndi zero…azakufuna ku zimbabwe tym ikazakwana

  16. Iyeyo ndi nchabwa coz munthu sungasankhe ķusewela mu team yomwe imangoluza ķusiya kusewela nda a nzako odziwa kodi olo utakhala kuti ukufuna ķusintha zinthu nde wekha zitheka? Bwela nchabwa iwe uwonjezele nomber ya olephela

  17. Ameneyundiye amulola? Sinangapaja #Khama Biliat amakanidwa koma ndiwoti ineyo ndilindi umbonioti ndiwa ku Malawiko pa Dedza ndipo kwamene mumakuziwa ku Dedza kungokafika pa DZ ndikungofunsa kuti ndikufuna #Abiliat amenewo ndi bamboake ndiwoziwikanso kwambili mukafunse akakuwuzani bwinobwino koma a FAM amankana nfanayu

    2. Iwe wangomaka pamenepo munvekele bambi abiliat salikuno ndikuzaika chonchi ??? Kkkkkk ya ma wankulu yomwe munayimba? Kapena ng’ombe za amalume zinakupusisani? Kungosogoza mwano thoo! Musakuziwa zochita m,busa wang’ombe mwanookha ayah

    3. Iwe wangomaka pamenepo munvekele bambi abiliat salikuno ndikuzaika chonchi ??? Kkkkkk ya ma wankulu yomwe munayimba? Kapena ng’ombe za amalume zinakupusisani? Kungosogoza mwano thoo! Musakuziwa zochita m,busa wang’ombe mwanookha ayah

    2. Amwene #Sam osatinso kuchitakufunsa kuti angalole? Mwiniwakeyo amalephela kwapemba a FAM koma amankana ndipoine bamboake ndikwaziwa bwino ku Dedza

    12. komaso kukhala ngati FIFA simalola kuti munthu asinthe national team yosewerela, after playing for another senior team, so Biliati can not play for Malawi,he passed that stage. correct me pliz

    15. Olo robert mugabe ndiwathu- wathu…tinatumiza president kunja amalawi..ndife otsogola, kenya inatumiza obama ku america….tiziombere manjaa

  25. Zimbabwe has many talented players playing outside their country. This dude knows that he’ll be on the bench most of the times in Zim side as the competition is very tough there. Malawi lacks sophisticated players hence he’ll fit in easily. The likes of Khama Billiat, knowledge Musona, Katsande and the likes will make his days hard in the zim side therefore Malawi will be good 4 him being an armature as he’ll play every game there.

    2. Aubrey Mulenga: Players mentioned in my post are true born Zimbabwean citizens. They are not foreigners to zim but they play outside their country. The boy in the story has got a 5050 chance to play 4 either Malawi or Zimbabwe coz his parents are from both countries. I said that he made a better choice coz Malawi doesn’t have very quality players like those Zim ones in my paragraph. He has a better chance 2 play 4 the Malawi side than Zimbabwe. Got me now?

    4. He chose to play 4 Zim coz nothing could bother him. He is more talented that he doesn’t think of sitting on the bench. That boy is scared of the same Billiat coz he’ll make him sit on the bench full time.

    7. U are very right Victors Sangaloti. I’m a Malawian but truth must dance its tunes. If we were better than Zim we would have been there in AFCON.

    10. In 2010 malawi was at afcon zimbabwe was not there and we manage to beat algeria 3~0 while zimbabwe have done nothing at just ended afcon what are u talking about just check on fifa ranking malawi is on 105 while zimbabwe on 125 which one is better? Osamangonyoza za dziko lanu flames ndi team yochititsa manyazi komaso zimbabwe ndi manyaka enieni

    11. Kkkkkkkkkkk! Bra Stevie Kampezeni how many years from 2010 to now? Ayi ayi ayiiiiii! The reason that I’m a true Malawian doesn’t give me a ticket to support any shit of the Malawi football. Let’s set the differences btwn Zimbabwe team and Malawi one aside and focus on our national football in general. Our team is very disgusting! Every time it plays with other nations I become the laughing stock among other people from other nations. I can be patriotic but in this regard Of Malawian soccer ayi ayi ayi! I think if u can talk of Nyau I can take ur side not za mpira wa miyendo.

    16. Katsande retired after being kicked out of afcon, Musona is tired nw and I dont think he can be a threat anymore n atleast Billiat may be though not sure if he ll be the same Billiat I saw in sundowns squad 2 seasons ago

    17. Dont talk too much guys just check on current fifa ranking google it now u will find zimbabwe on 125 and malawi on 105 ofcourse malawi ndi mbola koma zimbabweso ndi mbola bola mukanati zambia ndikanabvomela just imagine at just ended afcon they only manage a single point from three games

  26. I think Malawi has lot of talent but they is enough funds to secure players. I was born in Zim also. We use to have Zimbabwean born but Malawian descendent players like Moses Chunga , John Phiri Yusufu Mdala, Assan Matola, I can’t finish they are plenty. This young man plays smart soccer. Right now he is in USA

  29. He knows that playing for Malawi National Team is far much easier than Zimbabwe.Zimbabwe deserves to be the strongest side as compared to Malawi

    3. Austine u r dem wrong…aplayer who has attracted the eyes of Orando pirates is not just a mare player.If such teams are able to recognize his talent,then who r we?

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