Category Archives: Sports

Latest Malawi sports news from around the world with in-depth analysis, features, photos and videos covering Flames, Malawi TNM Super League, malawi Queens football, tennis, motorsport, golf, rugby, sailing, skiing,

Sports

FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ Draw

MaraviPost
  • Women world CUP Draw
    Here are your groups for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019!

    Familiar foes to match-up at France 2019

  • A new chapter to be written in the tournament’s most common rivalry
  • FIFA.com looks at some of the historical contests

Last Saturday’s FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ Draw was always likely to provide numerous intriguing scenarios across the six groups. After all, the 24-strong field included four former winners and four debutants, plus a number of host nations who have made the leap from outsiders to genuine title-contenders in recent times.

What was perhaps unexpected was the abundance of nations drawn to face off against familiar adversaries. In that sense, the lottery of the Draw delivered in spades. FIFA.com takes a look at just some of the match-ups that will provide more than a hint of déjà vu next year in France.

USA-Sweden, 20 June, Le Havre (Group F)

The reigning champions and the European heavyweights have played against each other in more matches than any other two nations in the history of the Women’s World Cup. With five previous match-ups, including, quite incredibly, at each of the past four tournaments, it was almost inevitable they would be drawn together again for France 2019. USA won the first three meetings, before the Swedes won in 2011 – a high-intensity 2-1 group-stage victory in Wolfsburg – with the pair playing out a scoreless draw at Canada 2015.

Did You Know?
The shared history between the two nations dates back to their respective debut matches at the Women’s World Cup. The Stars and Stripes won 3-2 on that occasion with the iconic Mia Hamm on the scoresheet.

England-Japan, 19 June, Nice (Group D)

Not since 1995 have England been to a Women’s World Cup and not met Japan. And that record will continue for at least another four years, with the pair set to meet on the final day of Group D action on the French Riviera. While many expect the match could decide the crucial top-spot in the group, it will also be a chance for the Lionesses to gain a dose of revenge. Four years ago on a searingly hot Edmonton day, Japan had more than a dose of luck with their last-gasp winner courtesy of a cruel Laura Bassett own goal. Overall honours, however, are shared with a win apiece and a draw over the three matches.

Did You Know?
Japan suffered a lone defeat in their otherwise imperious march to the gold-medal podium at Germany 2011. It was England who knocked off the Nadeshiko in the final group match with a 2-0 scoreline.

Australia-Brazil, 13 June, Montpellier (Group C)

Australia will face Brazil for their fifth global tournament in a row next year in France. That includes three successive Women’s World Cups and a match at the 2016 Olympics won on home soil by Brazil via a penalty shoot-out. The South Americans saw off the Matildas at the quarter-final stage in 2007 en-route to their only Women’s World Cup Final. The Aussies finally got one over the Brazilians in the Round of 16 at Canada 2015, which was the Matildas first-ever knockout-stage win.

Did You Know?
Brazil have won two of their three Women’s World Cup matches against the Australians, but the Matildas have won the past four international matches between the pair.

New Zealand- Netherlands, 11 June, Le Havre,
Canada-New Zealand, 15 June, Grenoble
Netherlands-Canada, 20 June, Reims
What are the chances of three teams being drawn in the same tournament group twice in a row? That is what the Netherlands, Canada and New Zealand must be wondering, with the trio to match-up at France 2019 just as they did four years ago. On that occasion the trio played out three extremely tight contests, with a 1-0 win for Netherlands over New Zealand followed up by two draws.

Did You Know?
Newly-appointed New Zealand coach Tom Sermanni will enjoy a reunion of sorts next year in Grenoble, having served as an assistant coach for Canada in 2015.

Lifestyle, Other Sports, Sports

Wanderers star Kamwendo to wed Rose Hussein on Dec 26

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

By Arkangel Tembo

Be Forward Wanderers long serving midfielder Joseph Kamwendo and his sweetheart Rose Hussein are expected to tie a knot in Blantyre on December 26.

Kamwendo also popularly known as ‘JK’ said he is “thrilled” that he will be marrying the love of his life.

The wedding will be officiated at St Anthony Catholic Parish in Chinyonga Township before a reception at Hills Garden in BCA in the commercial capital.

“I am happy to finally settle down. It gives me stability and responsibility. Hopefully, this could also improve my career,” Kamwendo said.

Kamwendo is a big name in Malawi football as he played for a number of big teams outside the country like TP Mazembe, Orlando Pirates. He also played in Denmark and Mozambique.

Top figures in Malawi football circles are expected to grace the wedding.

Kamwendo has this season played a crucial role in Be Forward Wanderers exploits as he scored a winning goal last Saturday to help his team book a place in the FISD Cup semi final against Moyale Barracks.

After scoring the vital goal on Saturday, Kamwendo celebrated his send-off in Blantyre on Sunday.

 

Other Sports

NFL: The Miami Dolphins Miracle touchdown

MaraviPost 1 Comment
NFL Miami Miracle Play
What was Rob Gronkowski doing out there? (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

By Adam Kilgore

The Miami Dolphins’ last-second, double-lateral, walk-off miracle touchdown Sunday afternoon knocked American TV viewers off their couches, unleashed a torrent of indecipherable shrieks and stunned both poles of the Eastern Seaboard. It was a play that happens once or twice every couple of decades. After the initial shock wore off, another reality started to set in, one nearly as shocking and rare as the play itself.

According to many NFL diehards, Bill Belichick screwed up the end of the game. Completely botched it. In more ways than one.

The Dolphins’ execution was sublime, but they received help from Belichick’s decision on the final play and what led to it. The obvious mistake Belichick made was to insert tight end Rob Gronkowski as the deepest defender on the play. It was a thoughtless error, a rote concession to routine, the kind of botch Belichick never makes.

Gronkowski has for years been the Patriots’ last line of defense against Hail Mary passes. His height and physicality makes Gronkowski ideal for the role. But the Dolphins’ snapped the final play from the Miami 31-yard line with seven seconds left. To believe Miami would run a Hail Mary, you’d have to believe the Dolphins would trust quarterback Ryan Tannehill to throw a pass 75 yards in the air. Miami’s only choice, it should have been obvious, was to run some of kind lateral-heavy play.

Gronkowski’s presence was not only unnecessary. It was detrimental. The Patriots’ final defender should have been their fastest player who is also a sure tackler. When Kenyan Drake bolted through the Patriots’ secondary, Gronkowski stumbled, lost any angle to chase him and watched helplessly as Drake sped into the end zone. But you couldn’t blame Gronkowski. You could only blame Belichick for putting him out there.

Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins’ last-second, double-lateral, walk-off miracle touchdown Sunday afternoon knocked viewers off their couches

Review the final play closer, and another curious tactical choice by Belichick sticks out. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy lines up on the right side of the line and, rather than pressure Tannehill, drops back and spies him. On a Hail Mary, that might be an effective move — it would keep the quarterback from escaping the pocket and buying time. But on a play with multiple laterals, it would basically force the Patriots to play with 10 defenders.

Van Noy hustled back into the play, but he couldn’t recover. He was right behind Kenyan Drake when Drake caught DeVante Parker’s lateral at the Miami 48. At the Patriots’ 43, Van Noy dives for Drake’s ankles and comes up just short. Had Van Noy simply dropped into coverage rather than pointlessly hovering around the line of scrimmage, he may have made the disaster-saving tackle or otherwise help the play stall.

The Patriots could have prevented Miami from running the play at all had Belichick chosen a better endgame strategy. The Patriots led by two points and faced fourth and goal at the Miami 4-yard line with 21 seconds left. Miami had used all of its timeouts. Belichick chose to kick a field goal, which served the purpose of putting the Patriots up by more than a field goal.

But what the Patriots should have done is tried to score a touchdown. Converting the field goal and then kicking off left the Dolphins one play to score a touchdown from 69 yards away, with no opportunity to completely seal the game. Had the Patriots gone for the touchdown on fourth down but failed, it would have left the Dolphins about 15 seconds — three plays at most — to move 60 yards with no timeouts to kick an extremely long field goal: a very unlikely proposition. And if the Patriots scored the touchdown, the game would have been over, period.

Either choice would have left the Dolphins about a 1 percent shot to win. Miami needed a miracle. But trying for a touchdown at least would have given the Patriots a chance to dial that percentage to zero.

No matter what choices Belichick made in the final seconds, the Dolphins needed a combination of perfect execution and divine intervention. Tannehill made a great throw. Kenny Stills made an acrobatic catch, showed patience in setting up a lateral and made a perfect pitch. Parker made a quick, well-placed pitch. Drake flashed immense speed and great instincts in weaving laterally through the defense before sprinting down the right sideline. The Dolphins were perfect.

But they still shouldn’t have been able to pull it off. Belichick, maybe the greatest coach of all time, enabled one of the greatest plays of all time. The loss prevented New England from clinching the AFC East and could prove critical in the Patriots’ chances of earning home-field advantage and/or a first-round bye. The shock will not wear off any time soon.

Sports

Milk from a stone; Of Bullets and Silver’s failure to proceed in CAF competitions

Maravi Post Author

By Chisomo Mwamadi 

The disappointing results registered by our two representatives in the CAF competitions(Bullets and Silver) on Wednesday afternoon have just highlighted(in colour) the lamentable state of our football today.

The Flames are out of the African Cup of Nations and a lot of football lovers like myself had our hopes pinned on these two teams to at least deliver us from the armpits of football shame and give us smiles(if at all we deserved some for once).

Let’s face it guys and be truthful to our sorry selves, WE ARE REAPING FROM OUR POOR INVESTMENT IN THE BEAUTIFUL GAME.

How much have all stakeholders including government invested in the game for us to be demanding good results? On what basis are we demanding good results? So we want to reap where we did not sow?

I have followed the debate on whether to fire the Flames coach or not religiously and if I am to be as raw as I can be, he is NOT our major problem. Yes , I said it. Why? Our major problem is OURSELVES. We simply do not have the right structures that will bring the much needed results .

We haven’t invested in the game as much as we should . The team that qualified for the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola was a reward for the work done by Manfred Hoener. The bulk of the players in that squad played in that historic Under 20 .

What did we do after 2010 in terms of investing in youth teams that will feed the national team ? Nothing. Do we have football academies? No. Do our junior teams participate year in year out in all competitions? No. Do we maintain these teams and are there succession plans where players will graduate from under 17, 20,23 to the senior team? No. Do we expose our coaches to the latest trainings? No. Do we have enough football facilities? No.

How do we run our football clubs? How is our administration of the game?

Even if we fire RVG today and bring in Jose Mourinho to be assisted by Zinedine Zidane, we will not get the desired results until we put our house in order.

I’m not backing RVG (he is not from Chendausiku like me) but i feel we need some soul searching as a country if we are to change our status.

As it is now, we are demanding milk from a stone.

Time to call for an all inclusive stakeholder meeting to map the way forward on our football? Yes.

Ndimwe kaye madzi.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of the Publisher or the Editor of Maravi Post

Sports

Malawi’s female footballer Tabitha Chawinga Ranked 71 in the World

Maravi Post Author

 

 

By Chris Chirwa

 

United Kingdom’s Guardian Newspaper in association with The Offside Rule has ranked China based Malawi’s prolific forward, Tabitha Chawinga 71 among the best female footballers in the world.

Chawinga, who comfortably leads the scoring chart at her club, Jiangsu Suning, has been praised for having a keen eye for goal by the top newspaper.

“A post season move from Sweden to China saw Chawinga fall off the map slightly in 2018 but her form has been good enough to keep her in the top 100,” reads the newspaper’s online website.

The newspaper adds there are a few players in the world who can match Chawinga’s scoring prowess.

It continues: “If her progress continues, it will surely not be long before one of the top European or American teams gives the Malawian her chance.”

The publication will keep on providing its assessment of the players until it gets to
the best top 10 footballers.

The Offside Rule has produced the list since 2016, but this is the first published in association with the Guardian.

It has assembled a team of 72 judges drawn from around the world as follows: 34 from Europe, 14 from North and Central America, 11 from Asia, seven from South America, 11 from Asia and six from Africa.

Recently, Chawinga was nominated for the African Female Footballer of Year Award whose gala award ceremony takes place on January 8, 2019 in Dakar, Senegal.

She won a Golden Boot Award in her debut season in the Chinese top league, netting 17 goals, seven goals more than her runner-up, Nigerian forward Asisat Oshoala who is the reigning African Footballer of the Year.

Sports

Silver and Bullets are geared for CAF return legs

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

 

By Mphatso Sam

Malawi representatives in the Confederations of African Football (CAF) club competitions, Silver Strikers and Nyasa Big Bullets say they are geared up for the return matches on December 5,2018 at the Bingu National Stadium and Kamuzu Stadium, respectively.

CAF Confederations flag carriers, Silver Strikers lost 1-0 to Cecrle Mbe’ri Sportif (AOC MS) of Gabon at Augustin Monedan in Libreville, Gabon in the first leg as they only managed to hold the hosts for 20 minutes before conceding a Nani Nono Yohane’s decisive goal.

In Kenya, at Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, CAF Champions League representatives, Bullets managed to hold Gor Mahia for 90 minutes before conceding a late goal at 93 minutes of added time from substitute Bernard Ondiyeke to give the Blantyre giants slim hopes in the competition.

Both teams will be playing their return matches on Wednesday with Bullets hosting the Kenyan Champions at the Kamuzu Stadium and in Lilongwe, Silver will face AOC MS at the Bingu National Stadium (BNS).

Interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday, the Central Bankers’ Assistant Coach, Peter Mgangira said the team would use an attacking strategy to recover the 1-0 score line and upset the tables by scoring two goals.

“Anything is possible in the game of football. We are playing at our backyard so we are hoping that we will make a lot of things so that we can push the boys to get two goals,” he hoped.

Mgangira said Silver has watched and played AOC MS and that they have a clue on their tactics, style of play and how they are going to play at the BNS, adding that they would push for an early goal to put their opponents under pressure.

Bullets Team Manager, James Chilapondwa said Gor Mahia is not as dangerous as people used to say and being optimistic that a good result would come out at Kamuzu Stadium as they would utilize home ground advantage.

“Gor Mahia is an experienced side in Kenya and the coach has seen the weakness encountered during the first game. We will obviously get a good result, we managed to hold them at their backyard and we cannot afford to defeat them at home,” he said.

Silver Strikers will be going into the match with all their key players available whereas for Bullets, they will go into the field of play without the services of their hit man striker, Patrick Phiri who is still nursing an injury.

Bullets which is the most successful team in Malawi ever competed in the CAF Champions League having reached the group stages in 2004, made a return to the continental showpiece after they last participated in 2015 following their back to back league title wins in 2014 and 2015.

The Capital City giants returned to the CAF tournament after close to a decade of no show.

The League Champions winners will get US$1.5 million prize money whereas in the Confederations Cup, the winner will walk away with US$990, 000.

Mana/mjs/adn/tha

 

Sports, TNM Super League, Top News

Mafco Captain apologizes for the exit

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

By Arkangel Tembo and Tione Andsen

Mafco FC captain, Paul Ndolvu has described relegation of their team in the TNM Super League as a “very sad development”

 

He offered an apology to Mafco followers on behalf of his teammates as they have been relegated following their 2-1 defeat at the hands of the defending TNM Champions Be Forward Wanderers in a highly contested game which was played on Saturday at Chitowe Stadium in Dwangwa.

 

“Mafco is a big club, with good players and we should not be relegated. It is a sorry state of affairs at Mafco at the moment and slightly embarrassing to think about it.”

 

“We understand the fans are annoyed, not just disappointed. They are really annoyed with the club and the players. But the players are hurt too. We have not been lying down and dying,” he said.

 

However, Ndolvu insists that he would have the personal incentive of staying on at Mafco to try and earn promotion back to the League.

 

“I have a point to prove as it has not been a great season for me and we have been relegated,” the captain added.

 

Ndolvu pointed out that, “It is inexcusable. It is an absolute outrage that we have been relegated to Chipiku and that is no disrespect to the lower League,”

 

Mafco Coach, Tione Mhone said things have not worked out for the team during the season.

 

“We need to accept reality of life and rest a bit and start a fresh in the lower league and see how it will work out for us to get back to Super League,” he said

 

Mhone had been very optimists during the season where he has all hope of pulling out of the relegation zone.

 

He used to say, “Mafco does not belong to this zone. We are hopeful that we will get out and fight for a place in the top eight,”

 

Things never worked until, he started blaming officiating personnel of being bias to other teams which was posing a threat to their survival chances.

 

The Departure of their Head Coach, Temwa to help embattled Kamuzu Barracks (KB) in Lilongwe could be attributed to one of the key departing moment of the Salima side.

 

Temwa replaced suspended KB Coach, Billy Phambala and has propelled the team to be in the top eight despite struggling in most of their games this season.

 

Mafco have followed Nchalo United with one team left to go on the chopping list.

 

The Salima based side has wrapped up their games on position 15 with 29 points.

 

Zomba Based outfit, Red Lions could be the next team to joining the relegation squad.

They have 33 points from 29 games and they need to win I order to reach 36 points to be safe.

 

They drew with Blue Eagles on Saturday at Nankhaka and the draw has worked for the Cops of Area 30 who were in the relegation ring.

 

Red Lions will face current league leaders, Nyasa Big Bullets at home and they surely need to collect maximum points for them to remain in the top flight league.

 

 

Sports

Painful defeat for Bullets and Silver in CAF 

Maravi Post Reporter

 

Silver lost

Malawi flag-carriers Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers on Wednesday evening lost  their Confederation of African Football (CAF) inter-club competitions’ campaign.

TNM Super League leaders Bullets lost to  Kenya’s Gor Mahia at Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Nairobi one null in the dying minute of the game  while Silver were defeated one null as well by  AO CMS of Gabon at Augustin Monédan, Libreville,  in Confederations Cup.

But Silver have to wear a brave face as they return to CAF competition after 25 years.

They last participated in a CAF competition in 1993 when they were knocked out by Arsenal of Lesotho when Confederations Cup was called in Africa Cup Winners Cup.

The Bankers had a youthful side that has played together for a while under Fazili.

 

 

Other Sports, Sports, Top News

Construction of Mzuzu Youth Centre in limbo

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

 

By Catherine Chimoyo

Youths from the northern region need to wait a little longer before accessing the much awaited Youth Sport Centre which the government promised to construct in the City of Mzuzu.

Government through the Ministry of Labour, Youth Sports and Manpower Development received funding for the project from Government of China and in the 2016/17 budget it allocated K 50 million to the Multipurpose Youth Centre construction project.

The construction of the project, which was set to start in 2015, has not yet begun as there is no indication that it will be starting anytime soon.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) one of the youth and a footballer in Mzuzu, Pilirani Gonje, said it was sad to note that since 2015 nothing tangible has happened on the construction site.

“There is nothing on the construction site. We only witnessed two ground breaking ceremonies that symbolized the commencement of the project but here we are in 2018 and not a brick has been laid to signify the start of the project,” he said.

The first ground breaking ceremony was presided over by the Minister of Labour Youth Sports and Manpower Development Grace Chiumia in 2015 when she was the responsible Minister.

After a while, the earmarked site of the project was moved to another location following recommendations that the initial proposed site was deemed ‘too small’ to support such a huge facility as a Youth Centre.

In 2017, Henry Mussa, the then Minister of Labour  Youth Sports and Manpower Development, presided over the second ground breaking ceremony at the second chosen location.

Mzuzu District Sports Officer, Olga Mlambe stressed that the delay of the promised sports centre has hindered the northern youths as far as development is concerned.

“Mzuzu as a city doesn’t have any modern sports facility that youths/athletes can use apart from the Katoto courts. This has a huge setback on our athletes who most of the time lose interest in sports because they don’t have conducive environments for their trainings and competitions,” he said.

Apart from that challenge, Mlambe added that it is difficult for our athletes to adapt when they go to foreign countries to participate in competitions since they are not used to the facilities.

He asked government to consider fulfilling its promise because the youths in the region were already impatient in waiting for the promised Multipurpose Youth Centre as the year is going to an end.

However, when Mana contacted MOLYSMD Public Relations Officer, Christina Mkutumula, on the progress of the project and when the centre should be expected said she could not comment on the matter.

“Currently I cannot comment on this. Thank you,” she declined.

Mana/cc/tha

 

Sports

Know more about sports betting online

Maravi Post Reporter

This is the article for those people that like betting and in betting the real cash that is used for playing and can lose or win. But having the good experience for betting then it is sure that you are going to win thousands of bucks every day. Now you are getting something different for the betting people that are providing them many benefits. The very first benefit that this sports betting online is providing the secure account that you can open here and your privacy is very much safe and secure as it is found that in many of the other betting sites and games people are getting very much problem that is related to the account and it is account that is the most important. Here sports betting is providing or you can say that they are preferring the account first and you have all the details that are very much having your privacy that will you that can see the account.

 

They are providing the service that is secure, flexible banking, industry-leading betting options and a superb user interface. Now you can get comprehensive sports betting experience that is practically. They are having the best format for the players and also the offers that are also very much in favor of their customers. You can bet anytime whether it is day or night because they are available 24 hours and you can select the best time for betting that you think is better. The new customers are getting the “welcome bonus” and this is very much helping the new customers to play with the real cash that is provided by sports as welcome bonus and it is only the offer to the people that will make their account here. Not only this but for the first deposit you get 100% bonus, for the second and third you have the 75% bonus offer and for the fourth and fifth deposit you are getting 50% bonus.

 

No deposit free bets are the ultimate wager to get started with a bookmaker. After all, it’s money for nothing! It’s no surprise this is one of our favorite betting offers at BetAndSkill, and we know a thing about them too. There are hundreds of amazing free bet no deposit bonus out there and we’ll bring you the very best.

 

Here the betting has become very easier and also have the comfort of bonus that means you are getting the money that is offered by sports and you can bet any time with this money. There are thousands of people that are having their account and are taking the advantage that this sports betting online is providing and many of them are winning lot of bucks by betting on the right time and right place. In this the more you bet then you are gathering the points or you can say that they are giving you points that you can collect for each bet and these points also help you to have the  bonuses. You must get satisfied by com paring the sports facility with the others and it is to be sure that you will love to make the account in this only as this is the best and also the popular and comfortable provider.