Chitakale, Blantyre United settle for draw
Peter Mutharika Southern Region Football League (SRFL) Division One’s Chitakale FC held TNM Super League side Blantyre United to a goalless draw at Mulanje Boma Park on Sunday.
This is the second time in two months for a Super League team to struggle against a lower league side after Big Bullets FC suffered a 2-1 defeat by Premier Division side Cobbe Barracks in a friendly at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Blantyre United played Chitakale in a curtain-raiser for the finals of the Mount Mulanje Conservation Trust (MMCT) Top-Eight Football Tournament which Lujeri Fesh FC won 4-3 against Esperanza FC on post-match penalties. The two teams settled for a 0-0 draw in regulation time.
During the match, both sides failed to create many scoring chances, but United looked sharper for the better part of the game through Jimmy Chikulekule and Aiko Maluwa.
Mulanje-based Chitakale FC, who maintained the first line-up throughout the match, banked their hopes on Henderson Magaleta and Felix Kupa.
The two players on many occasions outclassed United defenders with some cryptic dribbles. Currently, Chitakale are on position six in the SRFL Division One.
Blantyre United coach Elija Kananji attributed their struggle against the lower division side to a rebuilding process the team is going through after the departure of some of their key players.
“We used this match to try some of our new catches and we were not expecting much from it. But we must admit that Chitakale are a good side,” said Kananji, who also featured the likes of Wachimwa Sadiki, Isaac Mphamba and Muhammad Sulumba.
