Malawi National Beach Soccer Team will be hoping for a positive result when they face Burundi in the first leg of the 2024 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers in Bujumbura, this afternoon.
The team arrived in Bujumbura Sunday after being in transit for close to 10 hours.
Despite the travel hitches, coach Willy Kumilambe said the players are in high spirits ahead of this afternoon’s match.
“The boys are fine and fit, eager to hit the sand. We are here on a serious mission and we have assembled a good squad,” Kumilambe said.
Kumilambe has travelled with an experienced squad which comprises the majority of the players that featured against Tanzania in 2022.
However, Kumilambe said his charges should not underrate Burundi.
“Playing away is tricky; so, we need to be on top of our game and focus much on every detail of the match,” Kumilambe said.
Captain Isaac Kajamu, who was the joint top goal-scorer at the Cosafa Beach Soccer Championship with eight goals, is carrying Malawi’s hopes alongside Sandram Saddie, Simba Dala and Martin Biliati.
“We expect a tough match against Burundi but we are ready for them,” Kajamu said.
Malawi will host Burundi in the second leg slated for Sunbird Livingstonia in Salima on Saturday.
The overall winner between Malawi and Burundi will qualify for the Afcon finals to be staged in Egypt later this year.
Malawi will be hoping for back-to-back qualification to the Afcon finals after their maiden appearance in Vilankulo, Mozambique, in 2022.
Then, Malawi defeated Tanzania on away goal rule after tying 8-8 on aggregate in a two-legged affair.
The team finished sixth out of seven during the 2022 Afcon finals, having lost all the three matches to Mozambique (4-2) Morocco (7-3) and 4-1 to Uganda on post-match penalties after a 6-6 stalemate in regulation time.
In March this year, Malawi won bronze at the Cosafa Beach Soccer Championship held in Durban, South Africa.
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