Play Football Malawi players in U-17 squad

Play Football Malawi academy has contributed two players to the Under-17 national team preparing for Cosafa Cup to take place in Mauritius in July this year.

The two, goalkeeper Chimwemwe Banda and midfielder Tatenda M’balaka, are among five players from Central Region.

 The other players are Hamid Balala and Rodrick Sambani from Sun City, and Prince Chingancheke from Kamuzu Academy.

Play Football Malawi head of communications and public relations Kennedy Zakochera said it is a dream come true for the academy.

He said: “We have identified players as young as under eight-years-old. We have a crop of players that have gone through different structures of development that we have at the academy.

“We have amazing talent in players like Chimwemwe and Tatenda. We could have contributed even nine players, but we believe and understand the need to give a chance to the other talented players from elsewhere.”

Play Football Malawi was founded in 2013 by Simon Holdener a Swiss national, and operates in Likuni and Mtandire.

National Football Coaches Association general secretary Davie Mpima is the technical director of the academy.

In a related development,  Play Football Malawi Academy girls team, who are Lilongwe district champions, will face Nkhotakota in the quarter-finals of the ongoing Presidential Initiative for Sports women football cup.

Play Football Malawi finished top of the table with 10 points to join seeded teams DD Sunshine, Chilinde, and Skippers FC in the quarter-finals.

Kauma Academy, Children of the Nations, Factured FC, and Kamuzu Barracks are the other teams that competed for the quarter-final slot.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) technical director John Kaputa has hailed the contribution by Play Soccer Academy.

“They are serious about what they are doing and they are doing great work,” said Kaputa.