Africa-Press – Malawi. Flames coach Kallisto Pasuwa has warned his players against complacency as Malawi take on Group H bottom-placed Sao Tome and Principe this afternoon in their final 2026 World Cup qualifier at the Stade Olympique de Sousse in Tunisia.
While Sao Tome look like easy prey on paper — losing all nine of their qualifiers — Pasuwa says football can be cruel to those who underestimate their opponents.
“They are underdogs on paper, but football can be unpredictable. If we’re not careful, we could be in for a shock,” he told africafootball.com.
Sao Tome, hosting in Tunisia due to the lack of a CAF-certified home stadium, have been the whipping boys of the group — conceding 26 goals and failing to score in seven matches. Their latest humiliation came in a 6–0 loss to Tunisia on Friday.
But Pasuwa insists his side must stay alert: “With nothing to lose, they’ll fight for pride — and that makes them dangerous.”
Malawi sit fourth with 13 points, still clinging to faint hopes of finishing second and sneaking into the play-offs. To make that dream a reality, the Flames need a perfect storm:
Namibia (15 points) must lose to group winners Tunisia.
Equatorial Guinea must beat Liberia (14 points).
Even then, Malawi’s chances of qualifying as one of the best runners-up remain slim.
Still, Pasuwa’s squad has reasons for confidence. The Flames beat Sao Tome 3–1 in the reverse fixture, and are ranked 69 places higher (126th vs 195th) on the FIFA ladder.
As of yesterday, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) was still waiting for FIFA to clarify whether captain Frank Gabadinho Mhango is eligible to play after serving a suspension in the cancelled match against Equatorial Guinea.
FAM communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said: “We haven’t received feedback yet, but we’ve sent a reminder.”
Even without Gaba, Pasuwa believes he has the firepower in Chawanangwa Kaonga, Richard Mbulu, Patrick Mwaungulu and Lanjesi Nkhoma to finish the campaign strong.
The Flames now face a simple but risky task: play to win — and pray the numbers fall their way.
Kick-off: 3PM (CAT)
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