The Malawi Under-23 National Football Team will be looking for a positive start to their TotalEnergies U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign when they host Eswatini at Bingu National Stadium on Tuesday.
A positive result at home would put Malawi in a strong position ahead of the return leg as they pursue qualification for next year’s finals in Egypt, which will also serve as qualifiers for the Olympic Games.
Head coach Bob Mpinganjira has received a major boost with the availability of Washali Jaziya, Blessings Kanowa, Mwisho Mhango and Oscar Petro, who were recently in camp with the senior national team, the Flames.
The squad has also been strengthened by players who featured for the Junior Flames at the just-ended COSAFA Under-20 tournament, including Kondwani Tebulo, James Lumbe, Lameck Mithi, Misheck Billiat, Clever Kalambo and Precious Kwalenga.
Mpinganjira will also benefit from familiarity within the squad, with 12 of the 24 players currently in camp having previously worked with him at Under-20 level in 2024. The coach said his charges are ready for the encounter and understand the importance of making home advantage count.
“We are ready for the game and all the players are looking sharp and ready for tomorrow,” said Mpinganjira. “It is a very important game for us as Malawi because we are playing at home and we know that we need a good result. We have to play our lungs out and work extra hard so that we can get a better result and put ourselves in a good position going into the away match.”
Mpinganjira acknowledged that the encounter will be challenging, particularly after a lengthy period without competitive action at Under-23 level, but expressed confidence in his charges.
“I know it will be a very difficult game since we haven’t played for some time, but all the same, we are ready for it. We hope to get a very good result after 90 minutes. That is what we have been discussing the whole week. We are playing at home and we need to put in all the effort so that we get the result we want,” he said.
The coach believes the familiarity among several members of the squad will help the team gel quickly.
“They were together at Under-20 level in the past two or three years and now they are together again at Under-23 level. They know each other, and we are hopeful that it will not be difficult for them to gel. We expect a very good game and we are hopeful of getting the result that we want,” he said.
Mpinganjira also indicated that Malawi will adopt an attacking approach as they look to establish an advantage at home.
“Since we are playing at home, we will go flat out. We want to attack from the word go and get quick goals so that we can settle early and get a better result,” he said.
The winner of the two-legged tie will face Algeria in the second round of the qualifiers, before a potential third-round encounter against the team that progresses from the pathway involving Zimbabwe, Mauritius and Mali.
