{"id":25605,"date":"2016-06-03T12:12:55","date_gmt":"2016-06-03T10:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.times.mw\/?p=25605"},"modified":"2016-06-03T12:26:47","modified_gmt":"2016-06-03T10:26:47","slug":"experienced-bunch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/2016\/06\/03\/experienced-bunch\/","title":{"rendered":"Experienced bunch"},"content":{"rendered":"

There was no tinkering with the youth for Malawi National Football Team Coach, Ernest Mtawali, when he unveiled his experienced 20-member Zimbabwe-bound party ahead of Sunday\u2019s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) showdown.<\/p>\n

Mtawali axed young goalkeeper, Brighton Munthali\u2014 who was faulted for conceding cheaply in 1-2 home loss to Guinea during a Group L clash in March\u2014and Mozambique-based striker Schumacher Kuwali.<\/p>\n

With jobs at stake and qualification to 2017 Afcon hanging by a thread, the coach opted for experienced Mozambique-based keeper, Charles Swini, while also dropping Blue Eagles custodian, John Soko and Be Forward Wanderers\u2019 winger, Isaac Kaliyati.<\/p>\n

The exit of Soko effectively means that there is n o representation in the Flames squad of TNM Super League leaders, Blue Eagles.<\/p>\n

Swini returns alongside Be Forward Wanderers\u2019 in-form striker, Peter Wadabwa and Nyasa Big Bullets\u2019 Muhamad Sulumba. Joint league leading scorer, Richard Mbulu, also missed the trip.<\/p>\n

The squad was not without a surprise though as Bullets custodian Ernest Kakhobwe has made the Zimbabwe trip alongside fellow rookie, Rafik Namwela.<\/p>\n

The survivors from Mtawali\u2019s young brigade that epitomised his abandoned rebuilding exercise are right-back, Stanley Sanudi (Wanderers), Miracle Gabeya (Bullets), Gerald Phiri Jnr (BidVest Wits), Wonder Jelemani (Silver Strikers) and Dalitso Sailesi (Bullets).<\/p>\n

Flames Team Manager, Clement Kafwafwa, disclosed that after the Zimbabwe match, the team will proceed to Namibia to play a friendly match against the Brave Warriors ahead of the Cosafa Castle Cup tournament starting on June 11.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe coach had a tough time coming up with the final squad because competition for places was very stiff,\u201d Kafwafwa said yesterday.<\/p>\n

With two points from five games and six points behind leaders, Zimbabwe, the match is a must-win for the Flames if they are to keep their slim hopes of qualification alive.<\/p>\n

While there is no doubt that the squad is experienced, it looks thin in defensive midfield area with only inexperienced Namwela and Jelemani available for selection.<\/p>\n

Zimbabwe can seal an early qualification ticket if Guinea fail to win in Swaziland. Both teams have five points each.<\/p>\n

Full squad: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Goalkeepers: <\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Charles Swini (HSB Songo)<\/li>\n
  2. Ernest Kakhobwe (Bullets)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Defenders: <\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Stanley Sanudi (Wanderers)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      4 . Francis Mulimbika (Wanderers)<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Yamikani Fodya (Bullets)<\/li>\n
      2. Pilirani Zonda (Bullets)<\/li>\n
      3. John Lanjesi (Bullets)<\/li>\n
      4. Miracle Gabeya (Bullets)<\/li>\n
      5. Harry Nyirenda (Black Leopards, South Africa)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Midfielders: <\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Joseph Kamwendo (Liga Desportivo de Maputo, Mozambique)<\/li>\n
        2. Miciam Mhone (Jomo Cosmos, South Africa)<\/li>\n
        3. Wonderful Jereman (Silver Strikers)<\/li>\n
        4. John Banda (Ferroviaro de Nampula, Mozambique)<\/li>\n
        5. Gerald Jnr Phiri (BidVest Wits)<\/li>\n
        6. Dalitso Sailesi (Bullets)<\/li>\n
        7. Rafick Namwera (Wanderers)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Strikers: <\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Chiukepo Msowoya (Bullets)<\/li>\n
          2. Muhammad Sulumba (Bullets)<\/li>\n
          3. Peter Wadabwa (Wanderers)<\/li>\n
          4. Gabadinho Frank Hellings Mhango (BidVest Wits)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            There was no tinkering with the youth for Malawi National Football Team Coach, Ernest Mtawali, when he unveiled his experienced 20-member Zimbabwe-bound party ahead of Sunday\u2019s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) showdown. Mtawali axed young goalkeeper, Brighton Munthali\u2014 who was faulted for conceding cheaply in 1-2 home loss to Guinea during a Group L clash […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":25609,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25605"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25610,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25605\/revisions\/25610"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}