Flames arrive in Madagascar

The Flames arrived in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo yesterday afternoon ahead of Saturday’s 2018 Championship of African Nations (Chan) preliminary round first leg against the Barea at  Mahamasina Municipal Stadium.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) vice-president James Mwenda, who is leader of delegation, said the team was expected to have its first training session at 5pm yesterday.

“We had a safe trip and we were accorded a warm welcome by our hosts. We are putting up at Evergreen Hotel and the team is injury-free,” he said.

He said the weather is hot in the Indian Ocean island country, “but the two days the team trained in Nchalo—which is equally hot—should help them to adapt”.

The Flames played out a goalless draw against Harambee Stars of Kenya and it was coach Ronny van Geneugden’s first game in charge. The return leg is set for April 26 in Lilongwe. n