The dreaded coordinates have been plotted in Cairo, a city most famous for containing the famous Giza Pyramids Complex that holds one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Flames of Malawi, maybe poised to yet decorate their names in the famous city, by defying all odds to engrave an 8th wonder of the world in Pharaoh’s historical tabloids. An opportunity to conjure the gods of footballs awaits the Flames, so are the victory-hungry fans back home.
Modern football is never won based on mere historical statistics, but rather, through technical superiority, and tactical approach to contextual matches. Peeping through objective footballing lens, Flames take to the field wearing an underdog tag.
Numerous technical parameters, weigh against them. Flames’ foreign based contingent isn’t as inspiring owing to their decimal appearances at their respective clubs, the preparations ahead of this match, hasn’t been adequate either. Listening to Flames, Head Coach, Marian Mario Marinica, one would sense a gaffer who is thinking of a post-match interview, before an actual result.
The importance of this match to both teams can be well appreciated in the prowess of Ethiopia who slowly shelved their dust as the group’s dark horses, to being group favorites slowly. A win for either of the teams, is their paramount if they are to seriously progress.
Egypt plays a rhythmic game with accurate, free-flowing passing, great control, and spells of possession. Individually, they have great players who can change the course of a game by sheer brilliance, in a flicker. Flames resolute will therefore be tested on how they be disciplined and organized in timing Pharaoh’s movements to close gaps, cut off the opposition and recover the balls, and make quick transitions in the final third.
Depending on his preferred formation, Marinica will have to deploy a defensive formation, with two quick wingers who can give his side depth in attack, and very versatile to retreat to increase the desired line of defense in numbers when possession is lost.
On his worksheet, based on the size and texture of his cloth, he may cut his pieces with caution to a 3-5-2 formation, in order to contain pressure from his counterpart Rui Vitoria, who has at his disposal the luxury in Mohammed Salah, and his local contingent largely drawn from Egyptian giants Al Ahly. Marinica, we largely rely on Flames’ goal poacher Gabadihno Mhango whose wonder goal at the recent edition of AFCON gives him belief that goals can scored, anytime and everywhere.
The furrows are dead deep in Cairo, Flames will require determination and fortitude to propel through the maze at the end of the grilling and gruesome 90 Minutes.
The expectation is huge, so is the task. Back home, football revelers expect nothing, but victory. The banditry wailing brothers, will have no kind words, if the team returns empty handed. Go yee Flames!
