Malawi’s most capped participant, right-back Stanley Sanudi, and attacking midfielder Chimwemwe Idana have been omitted from the Flames squad set to face Burundi and Burkina Faso in upcoming qualifiers.

This determination follows a disciplinary problem that occurred after the group’s 4-0 loss to Senegal in a 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Group L qualifier held in Dakar.

Sanudi and Idana, who play for Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and Silver Strikers respectively, left the Flames’ dressing room shortly after the match to go to the Lions of Teranga squad.

The gamers took images and exchanged jerseys with Senegalese star Sadio Mane and his teammates, lacking a part of the group’s post-match debrief within the course of.

Upon their late arrival again to the dressing room, they have been met with disapproval, and then-head coach Patrick Mabedi dropped them from the squad for the return leg in Lilongwe, which Malawi misplaced 1-0.

With Kalisto Pasuwa and assistant coach Peter Mponda now main the group, the duo has as soon as once more been ignored of the squad. It stays unsure if they’ll face a proper disciplinary listening to relating to the incident or if their standing will merely stay ambiguous.