Malawi Suffer Angola Defeat as Flames Face Early AFCON Qualification Test
Malawi’s promising start to the AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign suffered a setback on Wednesday night as the Flames went down 3-1 to Angola in Luanda.
The defeat at Estadio 11 de Novembro was Malawi’s first of the campaign and leaves the Flames with three points from their opening two matches.
Malawi had entered the fixture with confidence after opening their campaign with a 2-1 victory over South Sudan last month. However, they struggled to produce the same level of performance against an Angola side that made home advantage count.
Flames Drop to Third
The result leaves Malawi third in the group on three points, while Angola move into second place on four points after their opening two matches.
Egypt remain at the top following their own goalless draw with Angola, leaving the group finely balanced at this early stage of the qualifying campaign.
For Malawi, the defeat is a reminder of the challenge ahead rather than a decisive blow to their qualification hopes. With several matches still to play, the Flames will have an opportunity to respond when the qualifiers resume.
Pasuwa Faces Questions After Setback
The result will inevitably bring scrutiny on head coach Kalisto Pasuwa, particularly over his tactical approach and team selection.
However, the bigger challenge for the Zimbabwean coach will be how Malawi respond to their first setback.
Pasuwa guided the Flames to a winning start against South Sudan, but the Angola defeat exposed areas that will need attention before the next round of qualifiers.
With the group still closely contested, Malawi cannot afford another poor performance when they return to action.
The Flames will now regroup with the focus on correcting their mistakes, restoring confidence and keeping their AFCON 2027 qualification campaign firmly on track.
