The Flames’ ambitious 2014 World Cup qualification dream is no longer in their hands after the Super Eagles of Nigeria went two points clear at the top of Group F following their 1-0 win over Kenya’s Harambee Stars in Nairobi today (Wednesday).
At Kamuzu Stadium in the commercial city of Blantyre, Malawi created a host of scoring chances, but sadly failed to make them count and were held to a barren draw by Namibia’s Brave Warriors in a match that failed to stir the passions.
The Flames now have six points and unless Nigeria slip up, realistically it appears a tall order for Malawi.
But ever-upbeat Flames captain Joseph ‘Shakira’ Kamwendo and coach Eddington Ng’onamo, still believe in cold comfort that all is not lost and the contest will go right to the wire.
“The odds are now tipped in Nigeria’s favour because they have gone two points clear, but it is not over yet and we should not be counted out of contention.
“We created a number of chances, but we could not just find the back of the net and that will be our area of concentration as we prepare for Kenya,” said Ng’onamo.
Kamwendo said the result was a big disappointment.
“It is very painful because we dominated and created a lot of chances, but we could not make good use of them and in the end, we regretted. Our finishing touch was disappointing,” said Kamwendo.
He delivered a masterclass of midfield supremacy aided by the traditional combative promptings of revitalised Robin Ngalande who was a marvel to watch and, at a later stage Esau Kanyenda, who was thrown in as a substitute for Atusaye Nyondo.
Nyondo was a peripheral figure before he limped off the pitch injured.
There was an awful lot of expectation on midfielder Robert Ng’ambi, but he, too, was not his usual self.
Wingers Fischer Kondowe and Douglas ‘Chibadula’ Chirambo also did not tick from the flanks.
The visitors were the first to launch a meaningful attack after eight minutes when Manfred Kaimbi gulled past two opponents on the left wing and then fed the ball invitingly into the path of Thai-based Lazarus Kaimbi whose powerful shot was saved by Flames goalkeeper Charles Swini.
In the 33rd minute, a move of utter beauty that started in midfield ended with Ngalande unbelievably shooting over the crossbar.
Another close chance came in the 64th minute when Kanyenda, who was in magnificent form, gulled past two opponents on the right and then found Ngalande with a pass that oozed class, but his shot was blocked just in time.
As desperation took its toll, the Flames continued to fashion chance after chance, only to be denied each time by the ever-alert Namibia goalminder Virgill Vries.
Then towards the very end, the Flames forced their opponents into rearguard action, but Ng’ambi, substitute Gastin Simkonda and Ngalande all missed from close range.
In Nairobi, the goal of the match was scored by Ahmed Musa in the 90th minute.
This was the third draw for the Flames in this campaign, they have only won once so far (1-0) against Namibia in the first-round through Gabadinho Mhango’s strike.
