Malawi lost out on a chance to clinch a place in the African Nations Cup finals
Malawi must win last match
Posted: 2011-09-03 20:54
Malawi lost out on a chance to clinch a place in the African Nations Cup finals by drawing with Tunisia in Blantyre on Saturday and must now win their last game away in Chad next month.
Playing a team packed with Premier Soccer League-based players, the Flames drew 0-0 with their North African opponents in front a crowd of some 60,000 at the Kamuzu Stadium.
The result means both sides stay second in Group K on 11 points with one game to go. The top two teams in Group K go through to the Nations Cup finals because it is a five team group. Botswana have already clinched first place.
Tunisia have the better goal difference and a home match to come against Togo while Malawi play Chad at the same time next month.
But if the two teams remain tied after the last game, Malawi will qualify on a head-to-head count out against Tunisia because they drew 2-2 away in Tunisia and their two goals give them the advantage after Saturday’s 0-0 draw.
But Malawi could have spared themselves the agony of now having to win away to qualify for a second successive Nations Cup appearance by clinching their spot in front of their home fans on Saturday but saw captain Esau Kanyenda go off early through injury to be replaced by Chiukepo Msowoya of Orlando Pirates.
Malawi also played Dave Banda from Black Leopards, Robert Ngambi of Platinum Stars and Atusaye Nyondo, who recently signed for SuperSport United.
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