Flames slip out of Fifa top 100 with back to back losses
Two consecutive losses to Algeria in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers have pushed the Flames’ 11-places down from position 98 to 109 on October 2014 Fifa Coca-cola ranking.
This is the Flames’ first slide on the ranking in many months and undermines the marketability of Malawian players and the national team on the international scene.
Globally, top 70 teams are regarded as the best in the football business.
The misfiring Flames, who lost 2-0 and 3-0 at home and away in Algeria in the Group B qualifiers, have also fallen by some four places to position 30 out of 54 Africa national teams whose number one are the Desert Eagles after rising by a place.
Released on www.fifa.com Malawi is seventh, down from six out of 14 Southern Africa (Cosafa) national teams whose leader is South Africa rated 57 and 12 in the world and Africa respectively.
The Flames, who wind up their 2015 Afcon pursuit with Mali and Ethiopia next month, are in Southern Africa also behind Zambia (78 in the world and 20th in Africa), Angola (87,23), Mozambique (97, 26), Zimbabwe (101, 27) and Botswana (102, 28).
–Find out what football guru Felix Ngamanya Sapao thinks about Flames fall. Read full story in The Nation tomorrow.
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