Malawi Face Bafana
Sep 21, 2002
BLANTYRE - Teenage striker Essau Kanyenda will take centre stage on Saturday when Malawi host South Africa in the first leg of the Cosafa Castle Cup final.
BLANTYRE - Teenage striker Essau Kanyenda will take centre stage on Saturday when Malawi host South Africa in the first leg of the Cosafa Castle Cup final.
The 19-year-old leads Malaw’s attack against players he competes with on a weekly basis in the South African premier league and carries the hopes of the host nation, seeking a win to take to the return leg in Durban on September 28.
Kanyenda, who will be 20 next week, plays for South African club Jomo Cosmos and set a record last season by scoring in nine successive premier league games.
Last weekend, he notched a hat-trick for Cosmos in a league match before flying home to Malawi to join up with his compatriots.
His goal-scoring form has also extended to Malawi, where he scored in both their quarter-final win over defending champions Angola and in the semi-final against neighbours Zambia.
South Africa have a home-based squad for the match, except for defender Thabang Molefe, who plays in Norway and is one of three who played for their country in the World Cup.
“I still think it’s a good team although we are feeling the pressure,†coach Ephraim Mashaba said on the eve of the final.
For Malawi, their progress in the annual regional competition has brought a rise of 27 places in the FIFA world rankings in the last three months.
Malawi are now 95th in the rankings, the first time they have broken into the world’s top 100.
Coach Kim Splidsboel said his young team had the makings of a powerful side.
“We have done incredibly well over the last year and I think this side has the potential to do a lot better.â€
Ends
The 19-year-old leads Malaw’s attack against players he competes with on a weekly basis in the South African premier league and carries the hopes of the host nation, seeking a win to take to the return leg in Durban on September 28.
Kanyenda, who will be 20 next week, plays for South African club Jomo Cosmos and set a record last season by scoring in nine successive premier league games.
Last weekend, he notched a hat-trick for Cosmos in a league match before flying home to Malawi to join up with his compatriots.
His goal-scoring form has also extended to Malawi, where he scored in both their quarter-final win over defending champions Angola and in the semi-final against neighbours Zambia.
South Africa have a home-based squad for the match, except for defender Thabang Molefe, who plays in Norway and is one of three who played for their country in the World Cup.
“I still think it’s a good team although we are feeling the pressure,†coach Ephraim Mashaba said on the eve of the final.
For Malawi, their progress in the annual regional competition has brought a rise of 27 places in the FIFA world rankings in the last three months.
Malawi are now 95th in the rankings, the first time they have broken into the world’s top 100.
Coach Kim Splidsboel said his young team had the makings of a powerful side.
“We have done incredibly well over the last year and I think this side has the potential to do a lot better.â€
Ends