The Malawi hope: RVG says Flames eye win at Cosafa

…Ng’ambi poised to join

Malawi national football team Ronny Van Geneugden remains hopeful that the Flames are up for the challenge at the upcoming Cosafa Cup.

The Belgian believes the team just like any other participant at the tourney eyes nothing but going as far as possible.

He was speaking at a press briefing in Blantyre on Wednesday days after his maiden win as Malawi head coach in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nation qualification campaign. The Flames beat Comoros 1-0 at home last Sunday.

But on the team’s table now comes the Cosafa tourney in which the Flames will play in the opening match of the tourney on 25th June 2017 against Tanzania.

The Flames regrouped yesterday in readiness for the Cosafa Cup. They leave on 22nd June 2017 for South Africa.

The coach was quick to admit that the win against Comoros remains pivotal to the Flames’ Cosafa cup outing.

‘’You see the win against Comoros last Saturday is a big motivation to the team. We saw how the boys were patriotic and to me it was an impressive performance. We would want to maintain that performance at the Cosafa Cup,” said RVG.

He also expressed optimism that South African clubs will not call their players as the Cosafa nears arguing that since the rainbow nation is the host nation they could avoid to pull out players from their national teams.

The coach is slated to name the final squad for Cosafa Cup next week with hopes that midfield maestro Robert Ng’ambi will now join the team.

The Platinum Stars player was not available for the Flames in the last game as his wife was involved in a road accident last week while he was in Tunisia for a Caf Confederation Cup assignment where his Platinum Stars lost 3-0 against CS Sfaxien.

Azam Tigers goalkeeper William Thole has since been called into camp.

‘’We had wanted to call into camp Silver Strikers’ Brighton Munthali but we felt due to the big distance from here to Lilongwe, we would just need one from a Blantyre based club hence the coming in of William Thole’’ he said.

After playing against Tanzania, the Flames face Mauritius and Angola on 26th and 29th June respectively.

HERE IS THE FULL SQUAD IN CAMP.

Goalkeepers

William Thole – Azam Tigers

William Thole

Leman Nthala

Ernest Kakhobwe

Brighton Munthali

Defenders

Chisomo Mpachika

Pilirani Zonda

Dennis Chembezi

John Lanjesi

Stanley Sanudi

Yamikani Fodya

Francis Mlimbika

Midfielders

Chikoti Chirwa

Young Chimodzi Jnr

Levison Maganizo

Ben Mbewe

Forwards and wingers

Innocent Bokosi

Jabulani Linje

Green Harawa

Khuda Muyaba

Yamikani Chester

Manase Chiyesa

Micium Mhone

Daliso Sailesi

Binwell Katinji