Over-achieving Malawi reach out for more

African football lightweights Malawi are standing on the brink of a first ever quarter-final appearance at the African Cup of Nations and a win on Monday against Mali in Cabinda will rewrite the football history books of the small southern African nation.

“Out total focus is on the match tomorrow (Monday). The spirit in the team is very high and we are all looking forward to being the first Malawi team to make a quarter-final at the Nations Cup,” achieving Malawi coach Kennah Phiri said on Sunday.

Speaking in Luanda before the team flew out to the Angolan enclave province, Cabinda, Phiri said he was not surprised by the performance of the Flames, who walloped Algeria 3-0 to record their first ever win at this level before going down fighting 2-0 to hosts Angola to stand on the threshold of glory, as far as Malawi are concerned.

“People have every right to feel that Malawi are a small team who cannot go far in such a competition. We have not qualified for the Nations Cup in the last 25 years. But the team has undergone a transformation since I took over.”

Phiri helped by a strong run in the 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers where they claimed the scalp big nations such as Egypt and Guinea and even held feared Cote d’Ivoire to a draw, a run that lifted the Flames from position 136th to 99th in the Fifa world ranking.

Inferior status

But even at position 99, Malawi are the lowest ranked country in the competition and their inferior status is emphasised by the leagues the players turn out for, predominantly in their home country and in small clubs in South Africa.

Phiri, a Malawi international in the 1970s, was, however, defiant of the dismissive attitude many football pundits have shown for the Malawi side.

“We may not have big name players, but the team has come of age and ready to compete with the so called big sides of Africa. Caf and Fifa better take notice of this,” Phiri said.

Over-achieved

Hired in May 2008, Phiri is the only coach who has been assured of a contract extension and can afford to relax knowing Malawi have already over-achieved at this stage.
The former international tipped Cote d’Ivoire and Egypt to go all the way.

“Cote d’Ivoire has a very strong team with a lot of experience mixed with young players. Egypt look a good and settled team. These two look potential champions to me,” he said.