What was communicated as an Under-23 tournament in Antalya, Turkey by Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has turned out to be just a series of friendly matches, The Nation understands.

Organisers of the series of the international friendly matches, Sports Edge and Africa-TMS have clarified that at the end of the games there will be no champion.

Flames players during preparations for the games

Spokesperson for the friendly matches Lassana Camara said in an interview yesterday that the friendly matches have been organised to help the teams prepare for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

He said: “The friendly matches have been organised by Africa-TMS and Sports Edge. It’s a series of friendly matches.

“It’s just an ideal setting so that its teams can best prepare for Afcon 2023. It has no final or champion.”

FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka also confirmed that the event in Turkey is a series of friendly matches.

He said: “Initially, it was communicated that it is going to be a mini-tournament for Under-23s. But it indeed turned out that it is just friendly matches.”

Ten teams, namely Zambia, Republic of Congo, Liberia, Benin, Togo (senior), Togo Under-23, Tajikstan Under-23, Kuwait Under-23, Sierra Leone and Malawi have gathered in the transcontinental country located mainly in Western Asia and partially in the Balkans in South East Europe, for the matches being played during the Fifa international break.

Fixtures released by the organisers of the series indicate that the senior teams will play against each other separately.

Malawi beat Kuwait Under-23 2-1 at Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadium in Başakşehir in the first match on Thursday.

The Junior, Flames play Togo Under-23 this afternoon on at Mardan Sports Complex in Aksu, Antalya.

The second match will kick off at 4pm Turkey time (3pm Malawi time).

Meanwhile, FAM technical director Mario Marian Marinica, who is leading the Under-23 technical panel assisted by Patrick Mabedi and DeKlerk Nsakakuona, said the second match against Togo will be tougher.

He said: “Togo have a good Under-23 team which will be a good platform for our players to gain international exposure.”

The Romanian said Malawi may also play Jordan Under-23.

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