Nomads suffer first defeat

Be Forward Wanderers’ unbeaten run in the TNM Super League came a to heartbreaking end on Sunday when they went down 2-3 to Mafco at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

It has been a rocky ride since the start of the season for the Lali Lubani Road outfit which has only registered a single win out of five games and the result is likely to pile more pressure on their coach Jack ‘Africa’ Chamangwana and his backroom staff.

There were scenes so lovely after the final as the Salima-based Malawi Defence Force (MDF) side turned the pitch into a theatre of celebrations by staging a parade while the Nomads faithful stormed the dressing room area baying for Chamangwana’s blood.

Following the loss, the Nomads have dropped to 10th position with six points while Mafco are now second with 11 points from six games—seven points short of leaders Lilongwe-based Blue Eagles—who yesterday registered their sixth successive win in this campaign following a 1-0 home win over Moyale Barracks.

At Kamuzu Stadium, Mafco drew first blood in the third minute against the run of play when Asedi Ayami slided a perfectly weighed pass to  Stain Malata to fire the ball home.

But new-signing Jaffalie Chande pulled level for the Nomads in the 23rd minute when he swung upfield to plant home Mike Kaziputa’s corner kick.

However, eight minutes after recess, Mafco restored their lead through Zikhole Nguluwe’s freekick which was deflected into the net by Nomads’ defender Foster Namwera.

But with just a minute left in regulation time, Boston Kabango equalised for Wanderers with a header from a Jabulani Linje cross.

And just when it appeared like the two teams would share the spoils, Mafco’s red-hot forward Richard Mbulu grabbed the winner in added time from a set-piece, marking a most thrilling end to a breathtaking contest.

Wanderers team manager Stevie Madeira admitted that the result had thrown the Nomads into turmoil.

“We just have to be responsible and accept that things are not good and go back to the drawing board.

“But while the result paints a gloomy picture, it’s still in the early days of the season,” he said.

Mafco coach Thomas Maloya acknowledged that it was a tough game.

“It was never going to be easy, especially after playing another tough match yesterday [Saturday], but credit should go to my players, they fought their lungs out,” he said.

At Nankhaka Stadium in Lilongwe, John Malidadi Jnr scored the lone goal for Eagles while in Mzuzu, Silver Strikers thumped Karonga United 3-0 courtesy of a brace from Timothy Chitedze and a goal from Mathews Sibale.

Kamuzu Barracks thumped rookies Dwangwa United 5-1.