2026 FIFA World Cup: Pasuwa highlights Mayele, Kumwenda impact for Malawi

Malawi coach Kalisto Pasuwa has highlighted newcomers Henri Kumwenda and Mayele Malango’s impact to the squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Namibia and Liberia.

Pasuwa drafted in the Flames’ squad the United States-based strikers Mayele and Kumwenda to add firepower to the attack ahead of Friday’s Group H match against the Brave Warriors in Botswana.

The Monterey Bay forward grew up at a refugee camp in Dowa District—some 80 kilometres from the capital city, Lilongwe—after fleeing Kinshasa in 1998.

On the other hand, the former Leeds United under-23 player Kumwenda has earned a recall. Both strikers are expected to ease the pressure on the overburdened proven scorer Gabadinho Mhango.

Speaking to Football Association of Malawi media, the Zimbabwe trainer acknowledged the contributions of the new additions.

“So far, so good — the new introductions are doing well. You can see the difference in how they are training,” the coach said while praising the work-rate of the entire squad.

“The intensity is good as the fitness is there because the league is on. Our training session today was perfect in terms of how we approached it tactically,” he said.

The Flames will leave on Wednesday for Francistown and will then return home to welcome Liberia at home on Monday, 8th September.

The Flames lie in fifth place in Group H with six points from games, six and 10 points behind second-placed and table-topping Namibia and Tunisia respectively.

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