Pasuwa singles out players who impressed at Cosafa

Kalisto Pasuwa says Angola’s coach, Soarez Goncalves was impressed with the performance of Flames’ players during their last group phase match at the ongoing Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup in South Africa.

Angola claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win to condemn the Malawi National Team to their second defeat at the tournament and bowed out with zero wins and zero goals.

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Despite the defeat, the Flames were by far a better team in numbers and Head coach Kalisto Pasuwa revealed that the coach for Angola thought that Malawi used players who play in Europe.

“Despite failing to score a goal, the guys played well. You can see that the firs game we struggled to get a shot on goal but we improved in the last two games. The coach for Angola had to come to me and ask if we have players playing in Europe,” he said.

Many players impressed at Cosafa, says Pasuwa

Kalisto addressing the media on Thursday, said so many players impressed at the tournament.

“Gaddie Chirwa was outstanding but we had problems. He is a good player, but when we were playing, he was struggling tactically. Maybe he could run anywhere, now it’s National Team where you need to be playing according to how you have been told by the coaches. If you run it spaces anyhow, you will be caught in transition due to the spaces that you leave, you can be punished.

“We also have Emmanuel Nyirenda, a surprise boy, who came and stood tall, be did very well as one of the left centre-backs. We also had Blessings Mpokera, we couldn’t expect more from him but he was very good in the air and and when were playing from the back, very comfortable, in terms of communication, responded very well.

“Then we had Blessings Singin in Central midfield, you even saw the way he played when he was playing side by side with Yankho Singo, they did as if they have been playing together for long time. That’s the kind of depth that we have been looking in midfield to see when one is not available, the other one can play.

“We had also Chawanangwa Gumbo, played very well in half spaces. When we lose the ball, most of the times you could see in his position. We have also Chikumbutso Salima, I played him again because we are trying to teach them in different positions.

“Most of the times,he was playing more of a winger but in these games, we tried to play him in half spaces and he did very well.

“The same thing with Promise Kamwendo, he didn’t score but what we wanted from him, he did very well. its very unfortunate, like I said, we need to teach them the movements to say when Promise creates space, one of the midfielders needs to go and fill the space.

“Wisdom Mpinganjira who was playing on the left side, did very well. He is a player who is regular but I called him to participate because they want to be taught. Like I said, we don’t have enough time with these players and we thought that this was the right time to take him and sit down with him and teach him how to play in his position. He can be one of the Strikers who can score goals for us.”

Angola smashed Madagascar 4-1 to reach the finalod the tournament.