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RACE TO CAMEROON 2020 CHAN BEGINS IN MALAWI

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Visiting Malawi have arrived in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland,  ahead of African Nations Championships (CHAN) South Zone first round first leg tie set for Mavuso Sports Centre on Saturday.

The two nations senior men national teams square off in Manzini in their 21st meeting – their first meeting in the CHAN date with the hosts soul searching for their first ever home win since the 5th of June 2016 famous 1-0 win over Guinea in the 2017 Total Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

On that Sunday afternoon, then prolific scorer Sabelo Ndzinisa grabbed a 48th minute that temporarily drowned the mighty West Africans into football mediocrity and ascended “tiny” Eswatini to giant-killers status.

And ever since, Sihlangu lost four successive home ties to Angola (2018 Total CHAN qualifier) and to the trio of Tunisia, Egypt and Niger in the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and has changed coaches from Harries Bulunga to Hendrick Pieter de Jongh to Anthony Mdluli to the current, Kostadin Papic.

On the other hand, the Flames last tasted victory outside their borders in a friendly international played on the fourth of September 2017 – a 1-0 triumph over Togo and ever since lost three of their away 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to Morocco, Cameroon and Comoros.

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Since then the coaching lead has changed hands from Gerald Phiri (snr) to Ronny Van Geneugden and now Meck Mwase who will be returning to his second home, Eswatini where he almost stole away the MTN Premier League of Eswatini with giants Mbabane Highlanders.

In their 20 previous meetings, Malawi have won 11 with Eswatini bagging three wins with the two nations sharing six draws and both coaches will be searching for a winning cushion ahead of the second leg set for next month.

Panic said his lads were going for a win.

“The team has a potential to qualify for such tournaments including CHAN, AFCON, even the World Cup and win even the COSAFA if we are to professionalize our game local and this is mindset we are trying to work. It is with this in mind that we will be going for a win on Saturday.

“We have never gone past this stage in the CHAN qualifiers and it’s high time we advance to the next stage. If we attain the winning mindset it is possible to win over Malawi and meet Angola in the next round of the qualifiers,”said Papic.

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Mwase early in the week said he was happy to be in Eswatini.

“I thank God that I’m coming back to Eswatini as interim coach for Malawi. I’m sure it will be tough but exciting too. Three to four years have passed and I am not sure how far the game have  improved in Eswatini.

“It’s every teams wish to play to win but compared to the previous Under 20 meeting it will be two different teams altogether. We have to respect our host they are playing at home. But we are also ready except for just those football related injuries which are not serious,” said Mwase.

The last meeting between the two sides was on the 4th of September 2016 in Malawi when a Gerald Phiri first half strike gave the home side a 1-0 win over Eswatini with the last meeting on Eswatini soil ending in a 2-2 draw on the 6th of September 2015.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

German Thomas Tuchel becomes 3rd foreign manager for England

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 - Bayern Munich v VfL Wolfsburg - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - May 12, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel looks on before the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.

The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.

Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.

-Reuters

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Factbox on England head coach Thomas Tuchel

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Champions League - Bayern Munich Training - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 7, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel on the pitch during a walk around REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo

German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.

Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.

PLAYING CAREER

* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.

* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.

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* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.

* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.

COACHING CAREER

* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.

* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.

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* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.

* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.

* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.

* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.

* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.

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* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.

* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.

* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.

* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.

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* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.

* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.

* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

-Reuters

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Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.

Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.

Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.

He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.

With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.

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Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.

While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.

-Reuters

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