The Flames players captured at Bole International Airport in Ethiopia on Saturday while in transit to Malawi.
Photo Credit: Football Association of Malawi
Malawi caretaker coach Kalisto Pasuwa has bemoaned the Flames’ limited training time ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group L qualifier against Burkina Faso on Monday.
Pasuwa, who replaced sacked Patrick Mabedi a fortnight ago, said his charges spent many hours travelling back from Ivory Coast where they drew 0-0 against Burundi on Friday. The jet-lagged Flames’ delegation arrived in Lilongwe on Saturday evening.
“That is a big challenge,” he said on Sunday. “We have not had a full squad in training. When we were going to Ivory Coast, we trained with the locally-based boys and only met the foreign-based guys in Ivory Coast and we didn’t even have a training session. Again, it is the same situation here.”
The Zimbabwean also said he will be without centre-back Chembezi Denis, defending midfielder John Banda and left-back Macdonald Lameck for the Group L encounter at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
“We have three suspensions and these are the players who started the game against Burundi…every coach needs his strong starting team,” he said.
Burkina Faso’s Stallions will also be without defender Edmond Tapsoba, wing-back Issa Kaboré and midfielder Blati Touré due to injury. The trio picked up the injuries during the Stallions’ 1-0 loss to Senegal on Friday. The Stallions’ 22-member squad arrived in Lilongwe on Friday ahead of the match against the bottom-placed Flames.
Burkina Faso already booked their place at the AFCON finals whereas Malawi are out of the race after having picked their first point in five games in Thursday’s goalless draw against Burundi. The Stallions have 10 points from five games, three behind Senegal. Malawi anchor the table with one point whereas Burundi have four.
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