By Chisomo Phiri
The Malawi National Football Team, the Flames Head Coach, Patrick Mabedi has turned down allegations that the team is struggling to score upfront due to the absence of Moroka Swallows forward Frank ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango.
Mabedi was speaking this after Malawi went down 1-0 to Tunisia in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers at the Bingu National Stadium(BNS) in Lilongwe on Tuesday.
Said the Flames coach:”Football is a game of 11 players. The absence of one player is not an excuse. We have played eight games without the mentioned player, performing well. It is essential to groom replacements for the future.”
He expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, emphasizing the valuable experience gained for future endeavors.
Mabedi refused to accommodate Mhango after he reportedly missed his flight to Liberia, describing the incident as a sign of indiscipline.
Tunisia’s coach, Jalal Qaderi, commended the resilience of the Malawi Team, acknowledging their offensive prowess while attributing their victory to tactical superiority and experience.
“We knew it was a challenging match, respecting the offensive Malawi Team.
“However, our tactical prowess and concentration prevailed. Experience played a crucial role in securing the win,” stated Qaderi.
It was a match that the visitors enjoyed much ball possession in the entire regulation time,but the resilient youthful Flames gave them a tough ride only to concede a goal in the 87th minute.
Their goal came from a penalty after Flames defender, Lawrence Chaziya unleashed a dangerous and careless tackle on the advancing Tunisia’s striker, Sayfallah Ltaief.
Youssef Msakni sent Malawi’s goalkeeper, Brighton Munthali in the wrong direction.
It was too late for the hosts to equalize.
In his comment, Sports Journalist Edwin Mbewe stressed on the need for Mabedi to reconsider team selection, especially in the attacking department.
“The way we played today indicated the lack of a killer punch upfront.
“The current attackers have much to learn,” observed Mbewe.
The Flames are still in position 3 with 3 points in Group H while Tunisia leads with 6 points and are being followed closely by Equatorial Guinea.
They have the same points but with goal difference.
On June 3 2024, Malawi shall take on Sao Tome and Principe in the ongoing qualifiers.
