Morocco returned to winning ways in style, recording a comprehensive 3-0 home win over Malawi in a one-sided African Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday at Stade Muhammad V that saw Youssef En-Nesyri score twice.
The visitors’ curse of conceding in the opening and closing stages of the match came back to haunt them again after they were 1-nil down inside the opening 3 minutes, before conceding again with less than 3 minutes to play before the recess.
Using a 4-4-2 formation, the Flames struggled a lot especially in the first half, which saw their defence committing school boys errors to allow Hakim Ziyech to find the back of the net when captain Limbikani Mzava failed to close him down before firing past Charles Swini, 1-0.
Malawi’s attacking option was in disarray and played the entire 45 minutes without even registering a single shot at goal.
After the half hour mark, Younes Belhanda almost doubled Morocco’s tally but his effort was well blocked by Dennis Chembezi.
However, just when Malawi thought the score margin was enough, the Atlas Lions roared again with anger when En-Nesyri fired past Swini from the close range when Mzava and Precious Sambani failed to beat an offside trap, 2-0.
Come second half, Ronny Van Geneudgen brought in Atusaye Nyondo for the ineffective Mbulu but it was the defence which improved tremendously by closing the hosts’ down in all the angles.
But this did not stop the Atlas Lions from unlocking Malawi’s defence and they almost scored their third goal but Ziyech’ effort was well cleared by Sambani.
RVG then made another change, bringing on board Jabulani Linje for Frank Banda but it was Morocco who added another goal following another poor defending from the visitors which saw En-Nesyri controlling the ball before beating Swini into the net, 3-0.
Malawi made their final substitution by introducing Chiukepo Msowoya for Mhango and the former Orlando Pirates forward missed what looked to be Malawi’s only realistic chance when he was found unmarked in the box only to blast his effort over the crossbar with the goalkeeper already beaten and after 90 minutes of play, 3-0 it ended.
The result sees Morocco moving above Malawi into the third position with the same number of points but the north African side has a better goal difference.
Earlier on, Comoros Island and Cameroon played to a 1-all draw which saw the league leaders maintaining their number one status in group B.
I have already said in previous comments that you cannot be successful without introducing soccer academy,Where you start teaching boys soccer at a tender stage from 8 yrs ,this will help them understand the mechanism of soccer from young age and when start representing the country,It becomes very easy and very much competitive even against the likes of Belgium,England,Germany etc.But the problem is that in FAM there is no one who can think deep and bring out this idea as long as they get fat salaries it is ok.It is very much embarrassing always to be beaten without having plan B.I suggest the whole employees of FAM must be changed and be replaced with people who can think properly and take Malawi football forward not the ones who are there now.Even if you can bring the best coach on earth,he will not succeed because there is no foundation of soccer players ,e.g. in Brazil from young age the boys are attending soccer academies everyday after school,there is no time to be walking around without doing anything,That is how you build your soccer team not with grown ups who can not even know how to score even when the goal keeper is not there.
But FAM is to blame ,because they have no ideas of bringing Malawi soccer to the world standard.
MALAWI as a nation needs to suspend football and replace it with something Else what a shameful results yet spending alot of money on a highered Coach instead of helping the needy pple.
Malawi National team Suck!!
MALAWI as a nation needs to suspend football and replace it with something Else what a shameful results yet spending alot of money on a highered Coach instead of helping the needy pple.
Malawi National team Suck!
What flames do tells the whole world that there is no soccer in Malawi at all. Instead please just cancel soccer once and all then the money that u give in soccer, try to help Malawians who are suffering in different sufferings. Other countries, when the National soccer team is going to play, they cancel the league so that best leave players should go n play for the National team but this doesn’t happened why
Morocco played well and the Flames had no clue on the pitch. Will Flames survive the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun? Again the Flames will not qualify for AFCON 2019. Shame .
There is no football in Malawi hhahahahaha ,waste of money