Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire and his education colleague Madalitso Kambauwa-Wirima have said Salima Secondary School football team has done the nation proud by winning bronze at the inaugural CAF Schools Championship.

The Malawi and Cosafa flag carriers on Saturday defied the odds to beat CEG Sainte Rita 3-1 in a third place match at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban, South Africa.

Mkandawire, who accompanied the school team on their defining tour of duty, said the lads have saved the country’s face after the recent Flames’ humiliation at the hands of the Pharaohs of Egypt in 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

He said: “These boys have made us proud. After a lethargic start, they picked themselves up and fought up to the end.

“They played good football and proved that we have good talent only if we can have proper development structures and good management.”

On her part, Kambauwa-Wirima said: “We are proud of our boys and this is testimony that we have talent in our schools which just needs to be nurtured.

“We have educational schools divisions under Massa [Malawi Schools Sports Associations] and all we need is to ensure that we are doing the needful in terms of identifying and developing talent.

“It’s not easy to come out as the third best school team on the continent. These boys deserve a pat on the back.”

Football Association of Malawi president Walter Nyamilandu said: “Our efforts have not been in vain. Our sacrifice of supporting the team with resources and air tickets has borne dividends.

“We applaud the lads for a gallant fight and Salima Secondary for embracing the challenge of building a highly competitive football team besides providing academic excellence to them.”

He also said this bears testimony that the future of Malawi football is in the schools.

For finishing third, Salima will receive $150 000 (about K150 million). They will also get an additional $75 000 (about K75 million) for finishing as runners-up in the Cosafa regional qualifiers.

The team, which won two games, lost two and drew one, was expected to fly back home yesterday.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe sponsored the event under his Motsepe Foundation to the tune of K10 billion.

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