It is very difficult for me to tell whether I am happy, relieved or bitter following the two draws the Malawi national football team has registered at home against Namibia and Kenya given that our fate is still in our own hands. Should I be happy that we are still in contention, relieved that Namibia have thrown us a lifeline or bitter because we could not make the best of our home advantage?
I have watched enough football to say it is ridiculous to write off the Flames’ chances of proceeding in the qualifiers for the World Cup which will take place this time next year, but I fully understand those that are pessimistic about our prospects. There are those that even would want us not to proceed because they do not feel we have anything to gain from making progress in this global showpiece.
Looking at the results and performance of Nigeria, the team stands in the Flames’ way, I would bet my money on any team with a clear strategy going to Lagos or Abuja and claiming the three points that would ensure a safe passage to the next stage. My problem is so far I have not been convinced that the Flames are that type of team. A team that is only predictable by its unpredictability is not easy to judge.
What must be said, however, is that looking at the results in this group, one has to say the results have been crazy. We have group leaders that have won only twice and runners up that have a single victory to their name. It tells you that this was a group with no outstanding team given the big number of draws that have been registered. If I were a gambler, therefore, I would take a chance on another stalemate in Nigeria.
I know such a result would mean the end of the road for the Flames—and I would not be pleased with that—but that would be in everybody’s interest. On our part we would have exited honourably having not lost any of our group matches and given their pedigree and ability to make better use of further progress in the tournament, Nigeria would have been a worthier representative of the group.
Of course, such a result would leave us all red-faced as we rue the missed opportunity that was the past 10 days. If we had won our two home matches we would have gone to Nigeria leading the group by two points and, therefore, needing only to avoid defeat. That would have meant the Super Eagles playing under enormous pressure which would have suited us. Now we are left to think of what would have been.
Talk of Nigeria, it is hoped that they will finally arrive in Brazil sometime today after a standoff with their football association over game bonuses. The players feel the $2 500 they were offered after their draw against Namibia is not enough. The misunderstanding led to them missing their flight on Thursday and they are set to arrive for the Confederations Cup, which starts later today, late.
I was looking at the figure and I was reminded of a similar standoff in the Flames’ camp earlier this week. The figure that the Eagles were rejecting for a draw is just over 28 times more than the Flames were getting for a win. You now see why I say Nigeria deserve to march on? They say the higher the investment, the higher the return.
