By Peter Fote & Mabvuto Kambuwe:
Malawi National Football Team’s poor showing in recent matches has ignited calls for coach Patrick Mabedi to mend fences with forward Frank Gabadinho Mhango for the good of the country.
The calls come in wake the of the Flames’ 2-3 loss at home to Burundi in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group L match at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Thursday.
Mabedi overlooked Gabadinho in his squad but other quarters feel the forward has a role to play with the Flames.
Former Flames coach Kinnah Phiri, speaking in his capacity as a football legend, called for an immediate intervention on the issue involving the frozen-out striker, following the continued side-lining of the South Africa based forward.
Apparently, Mabedi has on more than two occasions indicated that Mhango’s time with the Flames was over and that it was time to deal with the new crop.
Reasons for the sour relationship are not yet clear but Kinnah said that time had come for the government and Football Association of Malawi (Fam) to intervene on the matter.
“We are so concerned as legends. We cannot continue to promote personal agenda over matters of national interest. Mabedi and Gabadinho must be called to a round table and iron out their differences so that we move ahead as a nation.
“I have personally talked to some officials at Ministry of Youth and Sports on the same, so that they can intervene,” Kinnah said.
However, Minister of Youth Uchizi Mkandawire referred the issue to Fam to mediate talks between the player and Mabedi.
“The official position is that featuring of players is within the jurisdiction of Fam through their coach. It would be chaotic if we take that route [intervene],” Mkandawire said.
Ironically, Fam General Secretary Alfred Gunda refused to comment on the matter.
Local football analyst Kimu Kamau said Gabadinho’s return to the squad is imminent.
“I have said it before and I will say it again; we are playing some inexperienced strikers who are struggling to score yet we have our top striker still side-lined. Let Mabedi recall Gabadinho,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Flames performance in recent matches has exposed serious shortcomings, some football analysts have observed.
The Flames started the 2025 Afcon qualifiers with a 3-2 home loss to Burundi, making their life difficult in the qualifiers.
Analysts feel that Mabedi got his tactics wrong against Burundi and others faulted him on team selection and fielding of players.
For instance, Mabedi improvised defender Gomegzani Chirwa as left back despite having natural left back Precious Sambani in the squad. Sambani was not even on the bench. Chirwa was exposed and was at fault for the two goals Flames conceded.
However, Mabedi defended fielding Chirwa at left back.
“We have a problem in this country of left backs. We had Tatenda M’balaka, who is injured. We cannot train someone for a period of one day so we thought of someone who played in that position for quite some time, so we saw that Gome played at Afcon and he was doing well,’’ Mabedi said.
Stanely Sanudi, Nickson Mwase and Dennis Chembezi also started at the back.
However, the defenders made a cocktail of mistakes for the better part of the game. During the game, Mabedi substituted one of the best players on the pitch Yamikani Chester for Robert Saizi.
He also rested Chimwemwe Idana, who scored an own goal for Patrick Mwaungulu.
After the game, the fans showed their frustrations as they were calling for Mabedi’s head.
However, Mabedi said he was unmoved.
“If you cannot take the heat in the kitchen, you need to get out. This is the pressure I have been taking when I was playing. There is no pressure here. This is nothing. Teams lose and get hammered, I do not have any pressure.
’’You could see, the fans wanted someone to play and I want something so you do not need to listen to the fans and sometimes you need to be stubborn. It is not pressure, this is nothing,’’ Mabedi said.
Sports analyst George Kaudza-Masina said Mabedi failed to read the game.
“The fielding was a disaster as leaving defender Lawrence Chaziya on the bench was injustice to the soccer loving Malawians. Worse still, he failed to read the game and make timely substitutions where the likes of Stanley Sanudi and Chifundo Mphasi, despite being good players, they were not at their best and could have not gone beyond the first half,” Kaudza-Masina said.
Another sports analyst David Kanyenda, who is a private lawyer, also questioned Mabedi’s poor selection.
“Timothy Silwimba is arguably the best left back in the league. But the Flames gaffer would not select him at all, instead preferring tired legs,’’ Kanyenda said.
Former Flames defender Clement Kafwafwa said it was unacceptable to concede three goals due to individual errors.
“From the first whistle, the match was riddled with errors, lack of coordination in midfield and failure to capitalise on goal scoring opportunities. The team was caught off guard right from kick off, struggling to find rhythm and focus,” he said.
The Flames will face Burkina Faso in the second Group L match in Bamako, Mali on Tuesday.
In October, the team will face Senegal in back-to-back fixtures.
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