Women’s International friendly football |23 September 2023

The delegation at the airport this afternoon (Photo: Contributed)

Malawi choose Seychelles for sparring

Malawi have chosen Seychelles as sparring partners as they finetune their preparation for the 2023 HOLLYWOODBETS CosafaWomen’s Football Championship.

The 2023 Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) Women’s Football Championship will be held in Gauteng, South Africa from October 4-15, and Malawi will be one of the countries participating.

Although Seychelles is a member of Cosafa, the women’s team will not be taking part in the Championship this year but will helpMalawi in their preparation as the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and the Seychelles Football Federation step up their cooperation.

While waiting for the arrival next month of a dedicated women’s coach for the national team to replace Singaporean Angeline Chua who left earlier this year, the team have been training under coach Michel Renaud of the SFF technical department.

The trip will be their first international outing this year and they will play two matches against the Malawian national team who are on training camp in their own country preparing for the CosafaChampionship.

“We need such matches,” coach Renaud said, adding that apart from motivating the players the matches will also help the Seychellois women remain on the Fifa ranking list.

Seychelles made the Fifa ranking last year under coach Chua after decades of trying. To remain on the ranking list and satisfy Fifa requirements, the team must play at least four certified international matches per year.

For now, and until such time that a certified stadium is available in Seychelles, all such matches, for both men and women, must be played abroad.

Seychelles will play their first match against Malawi on September 25 and the second on September 28. Both matches will be played at the Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.

The SFF is paying all the airfares and allowances while FAM is taking care of board, lodging and transportation in Malawi.

The Seychelles delegation, made up of 20 players and six officials, left for Malawi yesterday afternoon via Ethiopia and will return on September 30. They were seen off by the Vice-President of the SFF Dolor Ernesta.

The following are members of the delegation.

Players:Clara AnachelleAgniellaLibanotis, Reena Sanjanna Daria Esther, Natacha Diona Bibi, Itarra Shakira Lagrenade, Rahimah Moumou, Azarelle Rose,SherinaRadegonde, Lisa Dubois, PascallinaJesna Moustache, NerliceStephie Fred, Rachel LuciannaCadeau, Alisha MeccaellaMatatiken, Dinara Julie, Samira Jeanne-d'Arc Della Florentine, Rannia Savita Chetty, ChantinaEsparaon, Anella Moustache, KimbellyDalma Change-Tak Hue, Vesna Agnes Cesar and Mahasiah April Labrosse.

Officials: Osama Haroun (technical director), Peggy Virginia Freminot (manager), Florence Christine Marie (assistant coach), Michel Renaud (coach), Slim Justin William (goalkeeper coach) and Gracie Nartey (medical officer).

Contributed