Malawi govt pledges to support Flames AFCON campaign
Minister of Sports, Youth and Culture Grace Chiumia offered hope to the hapless Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to support the national football team’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Chiumia said the Malawi government would do everything possible to support the team financially.
“The government of Professor Peter Mutharika would do everything possible to help out team so that they should qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations,” Chiumia said.
An excited Chiumia, who could not hide her emotions, disclosed that Malawi’s qualification to the group stages had signalled a good start to her ministerial position.
“I am happy that they have won it means I have started well and I fight to ensure that the team gets financial support,” she said.
Meanwhile, FAM President Walter Nyamilandu said the cash-strapped association would engage the government to strike a chord on the funding of the team.
“We are going to engage the government to see how best they can assist us to fulfill the fixture because we don’t have money,” Nyamilandu said.
FAM General Secretary Suzgo Nyirenda a month ago disclosed that it was keeping its crossed over the Africa Cup of Nations campaign should the team go through to the group stages because of financial problems.
Nyirenda said the association needed at least K250 million for the senior national team assignments and Malawi Under-20 Caf Youth Championship.
He also admitted that the Flames face a daughting task to qualify to the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations having joined Brazil 2014 World Cup finals team, Algeria, seasoned campaigners Mali and unpredictable Ethiopia.
“It’s a tough group but anything is possible. If we are going to prepare well we are going to qualify,” Nyirenda said.
He said FAM would ensure to arrange a friendly game befire facing Mali on the weekend of 5/6 September.
Full fixture for the group B games are as follows;
5/6 September
Mali vs Malawi,
10 September
Malawi vs Ethiopia
10/11 October
Malawi vs Algeria
15 October
Algeria vs Malawi
14/15 November
Malawi vs Mali
19 November
Ethiopia vs Malawi.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :