The Flames have on Friday morning resumed training with coach Ernest Mtawali and captain Limbikani Mzava still optimistic that they can still turn the tables on Sunday despite going down 2-0 to Tanzania’s Taifa Stars in the first leg of the 2018 Fifa World Cup preliminary round first leg qualifier.
The Flames will host the Taifa Stars on Sunday at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre and need to win 2-0 to revive their hopes in the campaign.
Mtawali said although it is a tall order, it is not impossible.
“We could have avoided both goals that we conceded, they both came from defensive errors, but we cannot cry over split milk; We need to pick ourselves up and move on.
“The plan was to contain the hosts in the first 15 minutes and catch them on the break so as to unsettle them, but even after containing them, there was a lapse in concentration, but it is not over yet,” said Mtawali.
On his part, Mzava said: “We apologise to Malawians for the loss, we could have done better, but they should not lose hope. We will fight for every inch of the way in the second leg.”
Tanzania struck twice in the space of four first-half minutes, Mbwana Samata breaking the deadlock on 18 minutes and Thomas Ulimwengu doubling their advantage.
The winner of Sunday’s encounter will face Algeria’s Desert Fennecs in the first-round.
