Malawi national football team will miss three more players due to injuries when they face e-Swatini this Saturday in a Championship of African Nations (Chan) first-round second leg at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Be Forward Wanderers duo of defenders Peter Cholopi, Dennis Chembezi are ruled out after suffering knocks while TN Stars striker Stain Dave will have to undergo a late fitness test.
They join Peter Banda, Alfred Manyozo Jnr and Patrick Phiri who will also miss the game due to injuries—bringing the number of those ruled out to five.
Team manager James Sangala confirmed the development yesterday.
“Cholopi and Chembezi got injured during their club’s TNM Super League match against Blue Eagles. We have been monitoring their fitness, but they didn’t make it. As for Dave, he got injured during training on Monday,” he said.
Sangala said coach Meke Mwase will not replace the trio.
“The coach will have to work with what he has, considering that it’s just two days before the match,” he said.
Charles Petro and Trevor Kalema are likely to fit in Cholopi and Chembezi’s shoes.
The coach has several strikers to make up for Dave’s absence.
Mwase was also confident of making it to the second round despite playing with a depleted squad.
“Of course we will miss them, but we have players capable of delivering,” he said.
Meanwhile, e-Swatini’s Sihlangu expected to jet in tomorrow afternoon.
The two sides had a goalless draw in the first leg in Manzini two weeks ago.
Malawi need to win at all cost if they are to proceed to the next round.
A goalless draw would lead to post match penalties while any goals draw will lead to the hosts making it. n
