MALAWI TACKLE TOGO
COSAFA hopefuls Malawi take on Togo in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Group K qualifier in Lome on Friday, hopeful of getting their campaign off to a positive start.
A depleted Togolese side drew 2-2 in Chad in their opening encounter last weekend, but will be a much tougher proposition on home soil.
Togo were added to Group K after they were reinstated in the qualifiers having initially been suspended by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after their pull-out from the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola following a gun attack on their team bus.
Malawi have been preparing for the game in Acca, where they drew 1-1 with local top-flight side Liberty Professionals and beat a Select XI 2-1.
They have also managed to get most of their overseas contingent for the game, with the arrival of Esau Kanyenda and Russell Mwafulia from Russia and Sweden respectively, Angolan-based James Sangala and Rwandan-based trio Elvis Kafoteka, Chiukepo Msowoya and Victor Nyirenda.
Te side is also boosted by the return to action of Peter Mponda, who had announced his international retirement following The Flames' appearance at the Nations Cup in January.
Coach Kinnah Phiri admits the new-look Togolese, with retired talisman Emmanuel Adebayor and many other of the players who would have done duty in Angola, are a closed book to him.
“I do not know much about this team from Togo. What I know is that they finished third in their group at the Orange CAN 2010 qualifiers behind Cameroon and Gabon,” Phiri said.
“With these results, it is a team that seems beatable. We will play in Lomé to take at least a point, but hopefully all three points.”
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