Flames to start with Angola in Cosafa Cup
Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) has released fixtures for the 2016 Cosafa Cup set for Namibia from June 11 to June 22.
The Flames will start their campaign against favourites Angola on June 12 at Independence Stadium in a Group B cracker that might as well decide who will qualify for the quarter-finals against South Africa on June 18.
Malawi’s second game is against lowly ranked Mauritius on June 14 in a late kick off at the same venue.
The Flames, who are Plate Section winners in 2015 tournament, wrap up the group stage against the group’s second lowest ranked team, Lesotho, on June 16 at the Independence Stadium.
Flames coach Ernest Mtawali yesterday said the fixture against Angola, who did not participate in the last edition of the tournament, would be interesting.
“I think it is better to start with a stronger team,” the coach said yesterday.
“That way you take away the pressure once you are done with it and concentrate on the weaker teams.”
Meanwhile, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) want the Flames to play Mozambique this month end in preparation for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zimbabwe’s Warriors in Harare on June 4.
FAM general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda, who is in Mexico for Fifa and Confederation of African Football (CAF) general assembly, confirmed the development yesterday.
“I will take the advantage of the assembly to meet the Mozambique FA general secretary to finalise the logistics of the friendly,” Nyirenda said in an interview from Mexico.
According to Nyirenda, the Flames will go into camp this Sunday.
Mtawali said he will release the squad for the two assignments today.
