Malawi can still qualify for the 2010 World Cup Finals

Kinna Phiri, The Flames Coach, feels his team can still qualify for the 2010 finals in South Africa, where he coached at club level until last year. “We are still left with five matches so we believe we can still gain a place at the World Cup finals,” he said. “We haven’t lost anything yet in the race and our task now is to try and revive our hopes.”

“We have not lost a single home game since I took over,” he added, pointing to wins in last year’s qualifiers against the likes of reigning African champions Egypt and the powerful Congo DR, who Malawi knocked out of the first phase of the African preliminaries for South Africa 2010.

“It will be a big boost for us if we beat Burkina Faso and then we can go with real hope to our next match against Guinea,” the coach concluded. “I think Guinea could be in some trouble because they have already lost their opening match and next they play against the Ivorians, who are a powerful team.”

The Flames of Malawi will play against Burkina Faso on June 6 at a venue yet to be decided by FIFA. The Flames are already in camp. The players called into camp for for the June 6 game (against Burkina Faso) include all the following players that gained experience in Ivory Coast:

Goalkeepers:

Swadick Sanudi (Dynamos FC, South Africa) Stats
Charles Swini (ESCOM Utd, Malawi) Bench
Simplex Nthala (MTL Wanderers, Malawi) Flew in

Defenders:

Peter Mponda (Black Leopards FC, South Africa) Stats
Allan Kamanga (Dynamos F.C, South Africa), Stats
Moses Chavula (Nathi Lions FC, South Africa), Stats
Elvis Kafoteka (ESCOM Utd, Malawi) 2 yellow cards, will not play, Stats
Wisdom Ndhlovu (Young Africans FC, Tanzania), Went in for Elvis Tafoteka in Injury time, Stats
Jacob Ngwira (ESCOM Utd, Malawi), Bench, Stats

Midfielders:

Hellings Mwakasungula (Santos FC, South Africa), stats
Robert Ng’ambi (Black Leopards FC, South Africa), Stats
Joseph Kamwendo (Orlando Pirates FC, South Africa), stats
Jimmy Zakazaka (Bay Utd FC, South Africa), stats
Davie Banda (Red Lions FC, Malawi), Went in for Hellings Mwakasungula 80th minute, stats
Tawonga Chimodzi (Santos FC, South Africa), Bench, stats

Strikers:

Chiukepo Msowoya(Mozambique), stats
Peter Wadabwa(ESCOM Utd, Malawi), stats
Atusaye Nyondo (Silver Strikers, Malawi), Bench, stats

The following didn’t make it to Ivory Coast but have also been called into camp:

Goalkeepers:

Davie Chisambi (Moyale Barracks, Malawi)

Defenders:

James Sangala(Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto, Angola), Had 2 yellows, stats
Sankhani Mkandawire (Bullets FC, Malawi)
Itaye Nundwe (Silver Strikers, Malawi)
Harry Nyirenda (MTL Wanderers, Malawi),
Chikumbutso Kanyenda (Bullets FC, Malawi)
Richard Chande (Silver Strikers, Malawi)

Midfielders

Clement Mvula (Tigers FC, Malawi)
Peter Mgangira (Silver Strikers, Malawi)
Peter Mwenda (Silver Strikers, Malawi)
Peter Pindani (Bullets FC, Malawi)

Strikers:

Russell Mwafulirwa(IFK Norrkoping FC, Sweden), Had an “injury”, stats
Fischer Kondowe (Bloemfontein Celtic, South Africa), Had an injury, stats
Essau Kanyenda (Kamaz FC, Russia), Had 2 yellows, stats
Sankhani Nyirenda (Bullets FC, Malawi)