Coach for the Malawi women’s national football team, Scorchers, Lovemore Fazili, has assured football enthusiasts that his side will make the Malawi nation proud in their forthcoming assignments.
Fazili said this in Blantyre as he named a 32-member provisional squad for next week’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Qualifiers second round against Angola.
Malawi will play the first leg away on Thursday, October 23, at Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda before hosting the return fixture on Tuesday, October 28, at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
The coach for Scorchers said his side prepared well as they are not pressured to deliver the perfect result.
“It is going to be a tough game and different from the matches we have been playing,” Fazili said.
Fazili’s selection features eight foreign-based players, including the Chawinga sisters, captain Tabitha and vice-captain Temwa.
The list also includes 2022 COSAFA U-17 Girls’ Championship top scorer Rose Kabzere, who plies her trade with Montpellier (France) and versatile attacker Vanessa Chikupila of Biik Kazygurt (Kazakhstan).
Reacting to the squad, the gaffer stressed that some might be picked and others dropped.
“It is a provisional squad…. and some players might be used for the 2025 COSAFA Women’s Championship in November,” he said.
The winner of the two-legged tie will automatically qualify for the 2026 WAFCON which will be held in Morocco from 17 March–3 April.
Malawi went through the second round of the qualifiers after their game against Congo Brazzaville was cancelled on 20 February and 26 February this year.
Congo withdrew prior to the first leg due to a lack of competitions and preparation.
On the other hand, Angola went into this round after a 3-3 aggregate on second legs against Zimbabwe and managed to win the last game through penalties (4-5) after a 2-1 win at home and a 2-1 defeat away.
Malawi is coming from two 3-0 victories in friendlies against Lesotho on 29 and 31 August which were held at Mpira Stadium, Chiwembe in Blantyre.
