Ascent Soccer Academy have been ascending on Malawi’s domestic women’s football platform after winning the national championship to book a seat at the Cosafa Qualifiers for the CAF Women’s Champions League.
However, ahead of the qualifiers next month, Thom Mkolongo, the Lilongwe-based women’s team’s coach, is not expecting too much.
He told supersport.com that his youthful charges are ready to descend onto the learning curve of the championship pencilled for Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre, from 15 to 24 August.
Mkolongo said the Malawi champions are heading into unknown terrain hence he cannot afford to raise the expectations bar.
“We don’t know the teams and the heat in there hence we cannot set targets for the players because they are young and doing that, can subject them to unnecessary pressure,” he said.
Ascent, who won the national championship after beating MDF Lionesses 1-0 months ago, boast young talents such as Leticia Chinyamula and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ target Rose Kabzere.
For this reason, the coach is cautious against expecting too much from his girls.
“We will do our part by preparing thoroughly and taking it game-by-game. Still more, this is an opportunity for our players to showcase their talent on a bigger scale since such a tournament will attract international participants,” Mkolongo added.
The Lilongwe giants 'open the dance floor' when welcoming Young Buffaloes FC from Eswatini at Mpira Stadium on 16 August in a second Group B contest of the qualifiers.
'CAN'T AFFORD TO UNDERRATE ANYONE'
Mkolongo is wary of Buffaloes' threat saying: “There is no simple group, let alone simple team, so we can't afford to underrate anyone considering this is our first time participating in the Cosafa championship.”
Earlier on 16 August, other debutants Botswana’s Gaborone United would have gotten their show under way against UD de Lichinga of Mozambique at the same venue.
The competition kicks off on 15 August when Zambia’s Green Buffaloes FC face the University of Cape Town FC at the same venue, which also hosted the Cosafa Under-17 Championship for boys in 2019.