Sports
Malawi Warns S’Eagles On World Cup Qualifier
The president of the Football Association of Malawi Walter Nyamilandu has warned Nigeria not to take the Flames lightly in 2014 World Cup qualifying.
The Super Eagles are overwhelming favourites to win Group F which also features Seychelles or Kenya and Djibouti or Namibia.
But Nyamilandu feels that Malawi are not short on experience and have the wherewithal to give the Nigerians a run for their money.
“Nigeria are the favourites in this group but we’re a team that cannot be underrated and taken for granted,” Nyamilandu said.
Nyamilandu added that the Flames made a statement a year ago when they qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Angola.
“There’s a football revolution in Malawi; we’re in a very good position now to qualify for Gabon and Equatorial Guinea next year.”
Although he spoke highly of the pedigree of the Super Eagles, Nyamilandu told Tidesports source that Samson Siasia’s team has a major weakness.
“It’s a very tricky group; we’re saying we have a very good chance of flexing our muscles if we plan everything very well.”
“Although Nigeria are favourites, their away record is very bad so we’re hoping they’ll flip along the way and help us top the group.”
Nyamilandu made it clear that the task of reaching Brazil in 2014 is not going to be easy but backed his Flames to create history.
“We’re also very ambitious and have set our sights on trying to go to the World Cup for the first time in the history of Malawi football.
“The first thing that we need to have is the belief and we have a lot of self-belief.
“We’ve played some tough teams in the past, and should be able to face Nigeria and take them head on.”
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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