World Cup Qualifying: Pasuwa explains how Malawi outwitted Namibia

Malawi coach Kalisto Pasuwa has explained how he won what he called a game of wits against Namibia in a World Cup qualifier in Botswana on Friday.

The Zimbabwean said he had studied the Brave Warriors going into the Group H match at neutral Obed Ithani Chilume Stadium in Francistown.

“We have been playing Namibia three times now,” the coach told reporters. “We played them in the COSAFA Cup, AFCON and the first leg of the World Cup qualifiers. It was a game of wits. You study with each other. Most of the time, they were attacking with five to six players going up, leaving spaces behind and that is where we were trying to exploit.”

Pasuwa attributed the victory to a good control of the game from the first whistle.

“We started very well and it gave confidence to the boys. Most of the time, we were trying to keep the ball away from the opponents and try to catch them on the break. We could have even scored three, four or five [goals]. Unfortunately, we missed chances but we are coming from a loss so a win is ok for us,” he explained.

“What we wanted was to win because every time, we were losing games. We wanted to bring confidence to the guys. We are trying to build a team that will compete in the AFCON [finals] next year.”

Strikers Richard Mbulu and Gabadinho Mhango scored in either half for Malawi to increase the points’ tally to nine, lying in fifth place, 10 points behind group leaders Tunisia. Malawi’s next game is against Liberia in Lilongwe on Tuesday.

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