Malawi coach Pasuwa lashes at critics over fielding

Malawi coach Kalisto Pasuwa has lashed at his critics over squad selection, saying he cannot make wholesale changes to the starting XI as if he is managing a netball team.

The Zimbabwean leapt to his own defence after beating Lesotho 1-0 in a strength-building match at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Tuesday.

Pasuwa said he was happy with the result but also cautions as there would be a fresh demand for more results.

“We must be very happy but with football, it is a win today then tomorrow you start to calculate. The moment you go on the other side of it, they are against you,” the coach said.

He attributed the victory to his players’ change in attitude, noting that they had a tendency of picking and choosing opponents while underrating the so-called small teams.

“It was a good game against our opponents. The better part of it, we were managing to escape the press, hence, we could have more possession in the middle-third and attacking-third to look for goals,” Pasuwa added.

Pasuwa’s take on his squad selection

The former Zimbabwe coach made a number of changes to his starting XI with Gabadinho Mhango and Llyod Njaliwa benched while Blessings Singini and Mayele Malango got the starting nod.

However, there was no place in the starting XI for in-form midfielder Uchizi Vunga of Silver Strikers, a decision Pasuwa defended when asked in a post-match press conference.

“You see the problem we are having at times with us as coaches is that when we are testing players, we can’t test all of them to say you are changing the whole team,” he said.

“You people want results and you want me to change the whole team as if we are playing netball. Even in netball you need to say you are having five regulars, but again people will talk about the other player to make it 11 players. You need a new team…I don’t know why.”

Malawi won the game courtesy of Congolese born-striker Malango’s first-half to end a 16-year winless run against Likuena.

The two Southern African opponents had played out to a goalless draw in the first friendly at the same Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein. Malawi made the most of the FIFA Window for international games to build a strong team for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

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