Malawi women’s team Cosafa preparations awaits FAM approval
The Malawi National Women’s Football Team will wait for Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to approve date when they can start preparations for Cosafa Women’s Championship in South Africa slated for July 31.
The draw which was conducted on Wednesday at the Council for Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) House in Johannesburg, South Africa, saw the She-Flames being drawn in pool A alongside South Africa, Comoros and Madagascar.
FAM Technical Director John Kaputa said Friday they want the players to go into camp on July 9 but this will wait for the approval of FAM Executive Committee.
“I had a meeting yesterday [Thursday] with the head coach of the senior women’s football team and he gave us his programme. Now I am writing the communication to the authority for their approval.
“If all goes as planned, next week July 9, the players will assemble into camp and on July 10, they will start training. They will have 18 days of training before they go to South Africa,” Kaputa said.
He said the preparations will only involve local friendly matches with some of the clubs which will be arranged by FAM to determine the level of the performance.
“We are using the COSAFA competition as one way of preparing for the 2020 Olympic Games,” Kaputa said.
Malawi Women’s Senior Football Team Head Coach Abel Mkandawire said he will use economical training which involves technical, tactical, physical and psychological components to prepare thoroughly for the championship.
“We are ready for anything and any team in the championship because we know that we have tough teams involved.
“Last time, we met South Africa and they managed to beat us and it is a good draw for us to change the record,” Mkandawire said.
This is the fourth time for the Malawi team to be paired against the hosts since 2006 and Malawi lost all the previous matches, including last year’s COSAFA championship match where South Africa massacred Malawi 6-0.
South Africa is the major threat in Group A for Malawi as they are fresh from the World Cup in France where they tussled against dark horses in the women’s football including USA, England and Netherlands.
Meanwhile, the Malawi women’s under-20 football team has been snubbed off the competition due to failure by FAM to confirm the team’s participation in time and has since been replaced by Mozambique.
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