Flames need to work on finishing

Coach Eddington Ng’onamo is expected to polish up his team’s finishing as the Flames regroup to start preparations for the World Cup qualifier against Kenya on Wednesday next week.

The coach admitted that poor finishing cost the Flames two points from the game against Namibia on Wednesday.

The Flames wasted several scoring opportunities in a goal-less draw game in which Malawi also had a king’s share of goal possession.

“Well, it’s a sad development. We have dropped two points, but that’s what happens in football. Well football is a game of mistakes. We have made a lot of mistakes. When we go back to the drawing board we will work out on those things.

“The main problem was finishing. We had a lot of chances in the penalty box. We hit the cross bar. We were playing with two attacking midfielders because we were looking for goals but still we failed to score.”

The coach said he would change the game plan when the Flames play Harambe Stars next Wednesday.

“I can’t promise the moon but we will change everything. The game plan will be different,” he said without elaborating.

Captain Joseph Kamwendo, who had a grand game, also rued the missed opportunities.

“I am not happy, I am very disappointed. We should have won that match,” he said.

“Anyway, we promise Malawians that we will do well in the next game against Kenya. They should not lose hope in us, we will deliver.”

Brave Warriors coach Roger Palmgren, on the other hand, was glad to come out unscathed.

He said a draw was a fair result for both sides.

“We created more chances than Malawi. Lazarus Kaimbi and Tangeni Shipahu missed good chances. We played very well and our offensive play was great, but we could not score. I’m satisfied, but we could have done much better,” he said.

“Our players were very committed and disciplined but gave the ball away too easily in the middle and that was not good. Malawi had more possession, but we had the better chances.”

“I believe in this team, today they showed me what they are made of and we will be better prepared for Nigeria on 12 June”.

Nigeria beat Kenya 1-0 in Nairobi, after an 81st minute goal by Ahmed Musa. The win puts Nigeria two points clear at the top of the Group F standings on eight points, followed by Malawi on six, Namibia on four and Kenya on two points. – By Joy Ndovi

Picture by Bonex Julius