Malawi National Football Team has cruised to the second round of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) playoffs after thrashing Comoros 4-0 on aggregate in a two-legged tie played at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
After securing a 2-0 victory in the first leg last Sunday, Kalisto Pasuwa’s men replicated the scoreline in the second leg on Saturday, sealing their progression in dominant fashion.
With the win, Malawi now anxiously awaits their next opponent, with either South Africa or Egypt standing in their way to their Maiden Chan finals. The two teams are set to face off in the second leg of their qualifier on Sunday in Egypt, following a one all draw in South Africa.
How the match unfolded
Coming into the game after a pulsating first-leg encounter, both Malawi and Comoros were eager to get off to a strong start.
Kalisto Pasuwa made just one change to the team that started last week, with Wongani Lungu replacing Ephraim Kondowe.
The coach opted for a 4-3-3 formation, shifting from the 4-4-2 setup used in the first leg to add balance in midfield.
On the other hand, Comoros head coach Zainoudine Msoili made two changes, with Youssouff Djawadi being replaced by Ahmed Fadjidou, while Youssouff Mahomed made way for Corin Botomanga.
Malawi had a bright start to the game but couldn’t find the opener in the first half despite their dominance.
The Flames won five corners in the first half but managed only one shot on target—a curling free-kick effort from Wongani Lungu that forced a save from Comoros goalkeeper Ahmed Fadjidou. ( minute?
Comoros also had three corner kicks in the first half but failed to trouble George Chikooka, who recorded his second consecutive clean sheet.
After a goalless first half, Malawi came out blazing in the second half and found the opener just five minutes after the restart.
Wongani Lungu capped off his dream debut with a beautiful goal, capitalizing on a defensive mix-up from Comoros to slot the ball home.
The Flames doubled their lead nine minutes later when Binwell Katinji positioned himself perfectly to power home MacDonald Lameck’s well-delivered cross from the right flank.
Katinji nearly grabbed his second goal of the day in the 69th minute, but the Comoros goalkeeper produced a marvelous save to deny his left-footed effort. He was set up by Wisdom Mpinganjira, who also had an impressive game.
Sensing the need for fresh legs, Kalisto Pasuwa made three substitutions, introducing Chikumbutso Salima, Ephraim Kondowe, and Zebron Kalima in place of Binwell Katinji, Lloyd Banega, and Gaddie Chirwa respectively.
Ephraim Kondowe nearly made an instant impact in the 86th minute when he powered a header just wide following an inviting cross from Alick Lungu.
At the other end, Said Sadad forced Chikooka into a splendid save with a thunderous strike from outside the box.
Reacting to the victory, head coach Kalisto Pasuwa praised his players for their effort.
“Well done to Malawi and all of us for reaching the second round of the playoffs. It wasn’t easy in the first half—we were jittery—but in the second half, we spoke to the players, and we got the goals,” he said.
Malawi now shifts focus to their next game in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, where they will face Namibia at Bingu National Stadium on March 20.
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