The Malawi National Football Team last evening displayed a rare feat of resilience by coming from behind to draw 2-2 against the visiting Liberia in an exciting 2026 World Cup qualifier at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
It was a game that tested the nerves of the fans to a breaking point as the visitors kept the lead for a long period despite the hosts enjoying great possession and creating many chances.
The match played under floodlights started on a gloomy note when the Lone Star of Liberia took the lead just after three minutes of play through Ayoube Kosiah.
The Lone Star striker was left unmarked in the box and headed past Flames goalkeeper William Thole from a Sesay Sheikh flicked header.
The goal briefly deflated the boisterous local fans who came to the stadium with great expectations after Friday’s 2-1 win against Namibia in Botswana.
Despite the setback, players on the pitch kept on pushing for an equaliser.
Malawi had a good chance to score four minutes later when they tore apart the visitors’ defence, but defender Charles Petro, who had the last touch in the box, shot wide.
An instinctive long range effort in the 18th minute by Lloyd Aaron was deflected for a corner-kick.
Soon after the corner-kick, Wisdom Mpinganjira’s effort was also ably tamed by the visitors’ goalkeeper Yeanaye Junior.
The hosts kept on pressing and Mhango came close to equalising in the 33rd minutes with an audacious overhead kick which was blocked.
Hope again faded as Liberia went on to punish the home fans emotionally 11 minutes after recess. Again, Ayouba Kosiah was the hitman, taking advantage of the melee in the box.
South African-based professional Mhango restored hope of a comeback 12 minutes before full-time with a pinpoint header.
Eight minutes later, it was all joy at Bingu National Stadium as Chawanangwa Kaonga made it level.
Flames coach Kallisto Pasuwa made two changes from the team that beat Namibia when they faced Liberia.
Thole, who was stretchered off the field following an injury, was back in the goals and was covered by the same defence of Charles Petro, Dennis Chembezi, Macdonald Lameck and Alick Lungu.
Tunisia are leading Group H with 22 points, Namibia are second on 12 points, Liberia are third on 11 points whereas Malawi are fourth with 10 points.
Second from the bottom are Equatorial Guinea with10 points and Sao Tome are anchoring the bottom with no point.
Tunisia, Malawi, Liberia and Equatorial Guinea have played eight games each whereas, Sao Tome and Namibia have played seven.
