L
ast season, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers started at full throttle, winning four TNM Super League games on the bounce before drawing their fifth match. Not this time.
The Nomads were left frustrated yesterday after being held to a one-all draw by Lilongwe-based Kamuzu Barracks (KB) in their opening match at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
In a pre-match interview, Nomads coach Nsanzurwimo Ramadhan urged the blue side of town to throng the stadium in return for happiness, but the Wanderers faithful left with their heads hang in disappointment.
And just like his predecessor Mark Harrison, after the final whistle, it was the same old song as he rued missed chances.
He said: “We created a lot of chances, but we couldn’t utilise them, we were panicking. We could not control the pressure.”
Ramdhan also said his charges lost the plot by following KB’s pattern of play.
He said: “They [KB] played long balls and we followed suit.
“I take the point, [after all], it’s just the first game. But there are positives. We were able to build attacks into the final third and the future looks bright.”
On the other hand, the Malawi Defence Force side’s gaffer Charles Kamanga said the Nomads should thank their football gods for escaping defeat.
He said: “I am happy to get a point against a team like Wanderers, but they are lucky to get a point.
“In the first half, we couldn’t play our passing game due to the heavy downpour, but in the second half we were able to play our game. We had three good chances, but sadly, [Gregory] Nachipo couldn’t take them.”
The Nomads were the first to settle down and could have broken the deadlock in the fourth minute, but KB goalkeeper Hastings Banda reacted swiftly to keep away Gaddie Chirwa’s effort.
Four minutes later, Isaac ‘Tcheya’ Kaliyati’s curler from the left saw Christopher Kumwembe heading the ball over the cross-bar.
KB’s first closest chance came in the 16th minute, but Olson Kanjira shot off target with only goalkeeper William Thole at his mercy.
Wanderers took the lead in the 30th minute when Kumwembe nodded home a free-kick struck with precision by Stanley Sanudi.
The soldiers equalised against the run of play in the 72nd minute from a rebound. It was all simple, nothing was forced.
At Civo Stadium in Lilongwe, newly-promoted Creck Sporting Club beat Blantyre-based Mighty Tigers 3-1 in their first match and they stand proudly at the summit after the first week.
It has been a good start for newly-promoted teams as Mulanje-based Fomo FC also beat Bangwe All Stars 1-0 at Mulanje Park Stadium on Saturday.
But Baka City FC started their top-flight league journey with a 1-0 loss to Karonga United in a Karonga derby yesterday while Mzuzu City Hammers, formerly Ekwendeni Hammers, edged Civil Service United of Lilongwe 1-0.
Six teams, namely Creck Sporting, Silver Strikers, Moyale Barracks, Fomo, Karonga and Hammers have started their campaigns with victories.
Interesting!