Malawian in Afcon Final Role

Malawi National Football Team the Flames missed the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals but Football Association of Malawi competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka will play a role in the final match between hosts Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

Zakazaka, who is a journalist and possesses Master’s degree offered through FIFA programme, Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and marketing qualifications, will be assistant general match coordinator.

He is among the last men standing in the epic football showpiece and was appointed alongside Alioune Massa Diarra of Mauritania while Moroccan Mustapha Slaouni is the general match coordinator.

Egypt Ahmed Osman is the match commissioner with Dahane Beida from Mauritania is the referee and Zambian Diana Chikolesha is the second assistant referee and Angolan Jerson Dos Santos is the first assistant referee.

On his way to be in the final match, Zakazaka in group matches handled Algeria vs Angola, Burkina Faso vs Mauritania, Algeria vs Burkina Faso, Angola vs Mauritania, Gambia vs Cameroon, Angola Namibia in round 16.

In the quarter-finals the Malawian was assigned Mali vs Ivory Coast and Nigeria in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Zakazaka who comes from a sports background with his father Sosten former Admarc Tigers player and coach, his brothers Gift and Jimmy former national team players and his sister a former netballer, has been described to have done Malawi proud.

FAM President Fleetwood Haiya will also watch the match in his capacity as head of Malawi FA while his predecessor Walter Nyamilandu is also there as Confederation of African Football executive member.

Nyamilandu, who lost to Haiya in the December 17 polls, also served as FIFA Council member.