Malawi Men’s National Team Head Coach Kalisto Pasuwa has cautioned his players against complacency ahead of Saturday’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier return leg against Comoros at Bingu National Stadium.

The Flames go into the second leg with a two-goal advantage following their 2-0 victory in the first leg played at the same venue last Sunday.

Speaking on Friday, Pasuwa emphasized the importance of maintaining focus saying the tie is far from over.

“It’s a game that is just starting. In football, if you start thinking you are safe with a 2-0 lead, you might lose everything. We need to be compact and stick to our normal style of play.”

Pasuwa admitted that the squad’s fitness levels were not yet at their peak, given that the players are coming off the off-season.

“In the first game, we struggled with fitness after the 55th minute, so we have been working on improving that. While we haven’t pushed the players to their absolute limits, we’ve ensured they can sustain their energy throughout the second half.

“We also struggled with ball management in the first leg, and we’ve been working on that as well. Hopefully, we will see improvement on Saturday,” he added.

Despite their two-goal lead, Pasuwa dismissed the idea of adopting a defensive approach for the second leg.

“Just like in the first leg, we need to be compact and defend in numbers, but at the same time, we must remain positive going forward.

“We are not going to sit back—we will attack. As you know, attacking is also a form of defending. So, we will play offensively while staying disciplined at the back,” he stated.

 Injury update: Two ruled out, Salima fit.

The Flames have suffered two injury setbacks, with Mighty Wanderers left-back Timothy Silwimba and Silver Strikers defender Washali Jaziya ruled out due to injuries.

However, there is good news as striker Chikumbutso Salima has recovered from a minor injury that ruled him out of the first leg and is available for selection.

“From the 25 players we called up, only two are unavailable—Silwimba and Jaziya. The remaining 23 are ready to play.

“Salima was part of the 25-man squad in camp, and with two players out, he remains in contention for tomorrow’s match,” Pasuwa said.

Captain Paipi calls for fans’ support

Captain Maxwell Paipi acknowledged that Comoros is a strong side capable of staging a comeback but expressed confidence that the Flames are prepared for the challenge.

“We know that we won the first game, but that match is behind us. Our focus is now on the second leg. Comoros will come at us aggressively because they have nothing to lose.

“As a team, we are prepared, and the morale is high. In football, anything can happen—if we managed to score two goals in the first leg, they can also score three in the second leg. That’s why we are working hard to secure another win on Saturday,” he said.

Paipi also urged Malawians to turn up in numbers to support the team.

“We always appreciate the fans’ support, and we need them again tomorrow.

“We know where we want to be in this competition, and this is a chance for us to make history. Every player is aware of our past performances in this tournament, and we are determined to qualify for the finals for the first time,”

The Flames delivered a solid performance in the first leg, claiming their fourth win in five meetings against the Coelacanths with goals from Binwell Katinji and Zebron Kalima.

The winner of tie will face the winner between South Africa and Egypt in the last round of the qualifiers.