Malawi National Football Team coach, Ernest Mtawali, was reportedly pleased that his charges kept a clean sheet in 0-0 draw against Namibia’s Brave Warriors in Wednesday night’s dress-rehearsal for Cosafa Castle Cup.
Going into Wednesday’s friendly match at Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek, the Flames had lost consecutively 1-2 and 0-3 to Guinea and Zimbabwe.
Mtawali told www. lelamobile.com that the friendly game helped him figure out what to change ahead of the clash against Angola on Sunday in the Cosafa Cup opener.
Mtawali’s Namibian counterpart Ricardo Mannetti was happy with his team’s performance.
“It was a typical low tempo training match which did not have character to set the stadium alight, but I am happy that some of the players that I gave a chance to prove themselves did very well which is a good thing for the team,” Mannetti is quoted as saying.
Malawi also plays against Mauritius on Tuesday then Lesotho on Thursday in a Group B play-off for the quarterfinals. South Africa will date the group’s overall best in the last-eight.
In another match report, Namibian newspaper said both coaches could not learn much from what it claimed was a dull friendly with few highlights on Wednesday.
The newspaper added that Namibia striker Terdius Uiseb and defender Da Costa Angula came close with headers from two successive corners, while at the other end, Malawi striker Chiukepo Msowoya headed over the bar from a corner.
Deon Hotto replaced Hanamub at the start of the second half and immediately made an impact with his pacy attacks. From one of these, Dynamo Fredericks had a shot saved while Hotto himself blasted over the bar with a long range effort, Namibian added.
At the other end, Malawi substitute striker Muhamad Sulumba received the ball in space in the box, but Larry Horaeb brought off a fine tackle.
The second half was however a boring affair with little action, while Malawi forward Gabadinho Mhango was red−carded for a foul on Ananias Gebhardt in the final minutes, Namibian concluded.
Mannetti fielded several fringe players, with Namibia’s Orlando Pirates midfielder Riaan Hanamub also making his debut, but no one really made use of their opportunities.
Wangu Gome was Namibia’s stand−out player, initiating several attacks with his tricky dribbles that had Malawi’s defence stretched to the limit.
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