Goalkeeper Clever Mkungula is available as Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves face Silver Strikers Reserves in the final of the Aubrey Dimba Trophy on Sunday.
Mkungula was among the Malawi national team reserve squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nation and missed the semi-final tie against Kamuzu Barracks Youth at the Aubrey Dimba Ground in Mchinji last Sunday.
He rejoined the junior Bullets on Friday morning as the team left Blantyre for Mchinji just hours after the Flames technical panel released the final 23-man AFCON squad.
Enos Chatama has also welcomed midfielder Felix Demakude, who also missed Bullets Reserves’ 2-1 win over KB Youth due to illness.
But Innocent Msowoya, Stanley Billiat and Chimwemwe Yassin have not made the trip to Mchinji due to injuries.
Chatama spoke to club media and said it was very important to have his first-choice ‘keeper back in the team and while saying the absence of the rest of the players will be felt, the Bullets Reserves coach said he has enough quality that he believes will deliver in the final on Sunday.
“Their absence will be felt because these are key players, but like I said earlier on, we have replacements ready to deliver.
“Having a full squad does not guarantee victory, but team work does. I believe in every player and whosoever will be entrusted to play on Sunday will do the job for the team. I have enough arsenal at my disposal to continue from where the team stopped last week,” said Chatama.
In total, Chatama’s side has scored five goals and conceded two in the competition that attracted teams from the Central Region Football Association (CRFA) League, Northern Region Football Association League and Bullets Reserves representing the Southern Region Football Association League.
Their first match saw Bullets Reserves beating St. Gabriel’s Medicals 2-1 in the Round of 16, then beat last season’s runners up in the CRFA Chipiku Football League with a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the quarter-finals, before defeating KB Youth in the semis.
Emmanuel Savieli has scored two goals in the tournament.
