Malawi drop on Fifa rankings but poised to burn Nigeria
Malawi national football team aka the Flames has slipped down with five slots in the latest Fifa’s official World ranking which was released on Wednesday, June 6 ahead of their crucial encounter
with Nigeria this coming Saturday in the World Cup Qualifiers match at the giant Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
The Flames, which drew 0-0 recently against Kenya in their first World Cup qualifiers campaign in Nairobi are now basking on position 107 from 102 in the World while in Africa they are on slot 27.
However, the latest Fifa ranking would not crumble down the Flames ambition to burn the Super Eagles of Nigeria on Saturday.
Malawi coach, Kinnah Phiri, promised no escape route for the Super Eagles.
“I don’t care if Nigeria carries their whole contingent of stars to Blantyre but one thing they should not expect when they come to our home is mercy. Football dynamics have changed and I would only be concerned if they were to play with 20 players but as long as it will be only 11 then I can promise them fireworks.
“We are going to give them pound for pound as my players are younger and energetic.
“Our philosophy is to play as a team but Nigeria depends a lot on individual players and that will be their undoing in Malawi. Our main aim is not to qualify for the World cup but this does not mean we will be losing games as our main focus is making it back to the African cup of Nations,” Phiri told SuperSport.
In a Wednesday MBC Sports programme aired on Radio 2, sports analysts, Peter Kanjere of The Nation newspaper advised Phiri to feature players, who can create chances from the wings to
enable strikers score.
“Let the coach make good use of the wingers because that is where crosses are created for strikers to score. The problem which has been there for the Flames is that we do not create enough chances to score. On average we create only five chances,” said Kanjere.
Kanjere also emphasized that off-late the team has killed the wings by fielding players in positions which they do not play.
MBC Radio 1 Sports analyst, Patrick Simango cautioned the Flames mentor to field players in their right positions because fielding will determine the outcome of the game.
“Plan well, field well and trust me we can beat Nigeria falling which we will be in for it. Kinnah should make sure that players, who will be on the bench should be those who are capable of changing the tempo of the game after being introduced,” said Simango.
Malawians have also vowed to give the team a vociferous support.
Flames Chief supporter Raphael Nasimba, who was present at Kamuzu Stadium during Flames Wednesday morning training session, told Nyasa Times that they have strategies a number of activities to give support to the boys.
“We do not want the stadium to be quite as if that people are at the funeral ceremony,” said
Nasimba.
Another top fan Yona ‘Green’ Malunga said they have already acquired Vuvuzelas to keep Kamuzu stadium a noisy place for the Super Eagles.
“All is set as far as the supporting department is concerned. We will paint the whole stadium red for them to be intimidated,” said Malunga, who had a supporting training session with some fans ahead of the encounter.
