Malawi National Football Team Coach Kalisto Pasuwa will have to make a big decision to choose a reliable first-choice goalkeeper  when the Flames face Egypt in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers at Cairo National Sports Stadium this coming Friday.

With experienced William Thole dropped from the squad, George Chikooka, Innocent Nyasulu and Precious Masamba are the available options.

However, Chikooka is the favourite to take over the number one jersey.

The goalminder has conceded 11 goals in 19 FDH Bank Premiership matches for Silver Strikers.

Only Nyasulu has conceded fewer goals in the league than Chikooka, having conceded eight goals in 19 matches.

This comes at a time the country has struggled to find a reliable goalkeeper for the past four years.

No goalkeeper has stayed for more than three years as Flames first choice goalkeeper in recent times.

Thole has been Flames’ first choice goalkeeper for two years after he took over the number one jersey from Brighton Munthali.

Interestingly, Munthali was also the first-choice goalkeeper for two years after he took over from Charles Thom in 2022.

Fast forward to 2026 and Pasuwa is searching for another reliable goalkeeper.

Before departure for Egypt, the Football Association of Malawi (Fam) said Pasuwa decided to discard Thole due to lack of game time at his club, Simba Bhora, in Zimbabwe.

Thole was at fault for two goals in the 3-1 loss to Angola last month.

Sports analyst Parry Chinyama said the goalkeeping problem was emanating from the inconsistency of the technical panel.

“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 [goalkeepers],” he said.

Another sports analyst, Twaha Chimuka, said Pasuwa had little options.

“We, as a country, need to be patient. If we assess all the factors, he selected the best available options,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pasuwa has received a huge boost after the majority of foreign country-based stars arrived in Cairo Tuesday.

Germany-based Mwisho Mhango, Japanbased Washali Jaziya, the Zimbabwe-based trio of Macdonald Lameck, Gomezgani Chirwa and Llyod Njaliwa, Charles Petro and Wisdom Mpinganjira joined camp Tuesday.

As we went to press Tuesday, only Adiel Kaduya and Chikumbutso Salima were yet to join camp.

The Flames will host Egypt at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe City next week.