Head coach Kalisto Pasuwa has left out William Thole and must choose between George Chikooka and Innocent Nyasulu to face Egypt on Friday in Cairo, on matchday 3 of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Malawi travel to Cairo International Stadium on Friday to take on Egypt at 21:00 local time, on matchday 3 of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, reports Cairo24. The fixture also marks the first official outing of Ali Maher, the Pharaohs’ new head coach, in the Egyptian dugout.
But on the Malawian side, attention is on the goal. Head coach Kalisto Pasuwa has left out experienced goalkeeper William Thole, according to Times Malawi, and must now choose between George Chikooka and Innocent Nyasulu to keep goal against the Egyptians.
Thole out, Chikooka in pole position
Pasuwa’s decision rests on two arguments put forward by Times Malawi: limited playing time at Simba Bhora in Zimbabwe, and his responsibility for two goals in the 3-1 defeat to Angola last month.
Alongside him, Chikooka goes in with an edge. The Silver Strikers goalkeeper has conceded 11 goals in 19 FDH Bank Premiership matches, against 8 in 19 games for Nyasulu, again according to Times Malawi. A narrow gap.
The debate is not unanimous. “It was a wrong decision to drop Thole. Yes, he might not have game time at his club but the experience he has amassed gives him a better standing out of the three,” says Parry Chinyama, an analyst quoted by Times Malawi.
Still an incomplete squad in Cairo
The Malawi camp started with a reduced squad. Fifteen of the 24 called-up players were present at the first training session in Cairo, according to Cairo24. Gomezgani Chirwa and Lloyd Njaliwa have linked up with the group from Zimbabwe, while Micho Mwango and Kaduya were still awaited.
In this context, Pasuwa rates Egypt highly. “منتخب مصر قوي ومواجهته ستكون صعبة وتغيير المدير الفني لن يؤثر على استعداداتنا نظرًا لضيق الوقت,” he told Cairo24. Translation: “The Egyptian team are strong and the match will be difficult; the change of coach will not affect our preparation, given the little time available.”
The gap in resources, though, is very real. Charles Petro, a 25-year-old defensive midfielder playing for Putohani in Romania, is the most valuable player in the squad with an estimated market value of 700,000 euros, according to Mobtada. Malawi’s total value is estimated at around 1.5 million euros, against 118.85 million for Egypt, according to Almussawar.
A return in the same window
Malawi will meet Egypt again on matchday 4, in the same international window, Times Malawi indicates. The reverse fixture is scheduled for Friday 13 November 2026 in Cairo, at 21:00 Cairo time.