Full Time: Malawi 2 ( Mhango 25′, Muyaba 39) Comoros 1 ( Mattior 43)
Two first half goals from Gabadinho Mhango and Khuda Muyaba gave the Flames a 2-1 win over Comoros in an international friendly match at the Abdallah al Faisal stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday evening.
This was the Flames first strength testing match at the ongoing Pre- AFCON camp in the Middle East country.
Head of Technical Mario Marinica gave Silver Strikers winger Zebron Kalima and Civo defender Lawrence Chaziya their debuts as they were named in the starting lineup.
South Africa based striker Gabadinho Mhango scored Flames first goal in the 25th minute through a direct free kick from the edge of the box .
Mhango then turned into a provider when dispossessed a Comoros defender before setting Khuda Muyaba, who finished off from a tight angle to double Flames lead at 39 minutes.
Comoros pulled one back four minutes later when John Banda fouled Faiz Matoour in the box and the striker took the spot kick sending Kakhobwe the wrong way.
Malawi led 2-1 at half time.
Marinica made three half time changes pulling out Kalima, Banda and Chaziya for Fransisco Madinga, Charles Petro and Peter Cholopi respectively.
At 60 minutes defender Cholopi collided with a Comoros striker in an aerial combat and suffered a cut on his head forcing Marinica to replace him with Chikoti Chirwa.
Flames made two more changes as Micium Mhone and William Thole came on for Yamikani Chester and Ernest Kakhobwe.
Comoros dominated the second half and created more scoring opportunities but the Flames defended well.
Flames are scheduled to play another friendly match against Mali at a day to be confirmed before they leave Saudi Arabia for AFCON in Cameroun on Wednesday 5th January.
Malawi Line Up
Ernest Kakhobwe ( William Thole 77’); Stanley Sanudi, Lawrence Chaziya( Peter Cholopi 45’- Chikoti Chirwa 60’), Dennis Chembezi, Mark Fodya; Yamikani Chester ( Micium Mhone 77’); John Banda ( Charles Petro 45’), Robin Ngalande, Zebron Kalima ( Fransisco Madinga 45’); Gabadinho Mhango, Khuda Muyaba
Substitutes: William Thole, Peter Cholopi, Fransisco Madinga, Chikoti Chirwa, Charles Petro, Micium Mhone.
