daniel chigunwe
Robson Sharuko
H-Metro Editor
KALISTO Pasuwa’s transformation of Malawi from being the punching bags to a competitive team continued yesterday as the Flames finally registered their first win in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
The Zimbabwean coach was thrust into the Flames hot seat recently when he was named caretaker coach.
He replaced former Kaizer Chiefs defender Patrick Mabedi who had led the Flames to four straight defeats in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
Pasuwa has managed to stop the bleeding after guiding the Flames to a goalless draw against Burundi at the Stade Felix Houphouet in Abidjan last week.
It was their first point, and first clean sheet, in these qualifiers.
Yesterday, Pasuwa went a step better by guiding the Flames to an impressive 3-0 win over Burkina Faso at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
It means that his team, which had conceded 11 goals in four games before his arrival, kept two clean sheets in two matches under his guidance.
Gabadinho Mhango, Richard Mbulu and Lloyd Aaron were on target for the Flames yesterday.
They already look a different team to the one which lost 2-3 to Burundi at home, 1-3 to Burkina Faso away, 0-1 to Senegal at home and 0-4 to the Lions of Teranga away from home.
Pasuwa’s men were already out of the running for a place at the 2025 AFCON finals by the time he took over but their record in the last two games will give their fans some hope going into the future.
It was Mhango’s 51st start in his 72 appearances for Malawi.
Pasuwa has won five league titles with Bullets since his arrival in that country.
He has established himself as the best coach in Malawi and this led the country’s football authorities to turn to him to end the team’s downward spiral.
Online Reporter