……Support 3-2 Mbabzi
By Edwin Mbewe
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Mvera-based Soldiers, Support Battalion football club on Sunday 14th January 2024 came from 2-0 behind to gun down Mbabzi United FC 3-2 at Fikiza ground, in Salima.
The visitors scored the first goal in the 30th minute through Thomas Lomasi capitalizing on the Soldiers’ blunder in defence.
However, the Soldiers replied so quickly at the 36th minute through Lumbani Mkandawire to put the matter on the level.
The celebration for Support was short-lived as Mike Mchawa restored the visitors’ lead in the 42nd minute.
At the end of the first half, the soldiers were trailing by 2-1. Come the second half, Temwa Msuku’s led side made the civilians from Balon roll in the mud at Fikiza ground.
In the 66th minute, Blessings Gwanzantini levelled the score-line with a stunning goal. The two sides kept pressing and knocking in search of the winning goal.
However, it was the home team who got their question answered in the dying minutes of the game as it was thought the duel would share the spoils.
Support Battalion’s Blessings Gwanzantini scored in the 87th minute to complete his brace of the day and to finish the season with 17 goals. His team-mate Lumbani Mkandawire is the club’s top goal-scorer with 18 goals.
After the match, Support Battalion Coach Temwa Msuku said the approach and attitude of the players nearly cost them the game.
“We came from behind twice and won the match today. I think the boys were contented with our previous results and hence approached this game casually. You can see all the two goals that our counterpart scored are from the schoolboy mistakes we made.
“Finishing in 5th position this season as coach I am not contented but this is so because of numerous factors which I don’t want to mention here. The team also lacked depth and was affected by injuries failing which we could have been the title contenders. We will get back and start preparing for the next season”, reacts Msuku.
His counterpart, Mbabzi United coach Justin Mawaya attributed the loss to poor officiation,
“The match started well but somehow the referees let us down, they awarded them a goal which was supposed not to be a goal, and that demoralized the boys. We are not happy with Mbabzi for finishing 6th on the table as we targeted a top-4 finish. We hope to come back with a bang next season “, Mawaya said.
Support Battalion Combat Unit has finished in 5th position in the league with 36 points from 22 games having won 11 games, drawn 3, and lost 8 times.
Mbabzi United FC amassed 31 points from 22 games on position 6.
In another match of the day, the Parachute Battalion, Airborne Rangers were 3-1 winners over Ngolowindo FC, courtesy of Chifundo Molosoni, Cephas Zimba, and Chisomo Wame.
Ngolowindo consolation goal was scored by Patrick Mambo. The Flying Soldiers finished the 2023 Chipiku Premier Division League at position 4 with 42 points from 22 games while Ngolowindo finished 9th on the ladder with 20 points.
Villa FC from Mchinji was awarded maximum points and two goals as Mangoni Warriors FC failed to show up at Dimba ground, in Kapiri.
The Mchinji-based outfit, have finished on position 8 with 22 points whereas Mangoni Warriors FC have finished at the bottom of the table with 11 points.