Some Botswana-based Malawian football fans took Flames players to task after their 1-0 defeat to the hosts in the third-place play-off of the Mukuru Four Nations Tournament on Wednesday.
As the Malawi National Football Team players trooped off the Obed Itan Chilume Stadium in Francistown to the dressing room after the match, the visibly disappointed fans opened up on their frustrations with the team’s poor performance.
In a clip that went viral on social media platforms, one of the fans shouted: “Chikuvuta ndi chani kodi? Mukungonyopola ndalama zathu [What is the problem? You are just wasting our resources].”
Another one shouted: “ Misonkho yathutu imene ija, mukutimvetsa kuwawa kwambiri [That’s our tax, you are causing us great pain].
“Takhumudwa nanu kwambiri [we are disappointed with you],” shouted yet another fan.
In an interview, Flames stand-in captain Gomezgani Chirwa said they understood the fans’ frustration “as no one wants to lose”.
The Flames finished at the bottom of the four-team tournament, having lost to Zambia’s second string side in their opening match 9-8 on postmatch penalties after playing out a goalless draw in regulation time.
Zimbabwe’s Warriors, who are coached by former Flames Romanian mentor Mario Marinica, won the tournament after beating Zambia 1-0 in the final on Tuesday.
