NORTON-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Under-17 national football team head coach, Enos Chatama, has expressed confidence that his side is fully prepared to take on Zambia in their crucial COSAFA U-17 Championship match scheduled for Sunday at Hearts Stadium in Zimbabwe.
Speaking ahead of the match, Chatama revealed that he has carefully analyzed his team’s weaknesses and worked tirelessly with his technical panel to address them.
He said the focus has been on strengthening both the defense and attack to ensure that Malawi puts up a strong performance against a resilient Zambian side.
“We have studied Zambia’s style of play and identified areas we can exploit. The boys have been responding positively during training and I believe they are ready to deliver,” Chatama explained.
The Young Flames head into this game full of confidence after an impressive 3-1 victory over Madagascar in their opening Group B fixture.
The win has given the team a morale boost and Chatama believes it has set the right tone for the rest of the tournament.
On the other hand, Zambia will be looking to bounce back after suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat to South Africa in their first match.
Chatama, however warned his players not to underestimate their opponents despite their poor start.
“Zambia is a good team with a rich history in youth tournaments. They will come hard at us because they are desperate for a win. We must stay focused and stick to our game plan,” he added.
Group B is shaping up to be highly competitive, featuring Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, and Madagascar.
The top two teams from the group will advance to the semifinals making Sunday’s clash critical for Malawi’s qualification hopes.
