Mighty Mukuru Wanderers scaled to the summit of the TNM Super League yesterday following a 1-0 win over Mafco FC at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
The Nomads top the table with 36 points from 19 games. They are tied on points with Chitipa United, who have dropped to second position due to their inferior goal difference.
FCB Nyasa Bullets are third with 34 points, but have a two-game cushion due to their CAF Champions League assignments.
In a match monitored on Mpira TV, winger Gaddie Chirwa put aside his disappointment of being dropped from the Flames squad that will face Guinea in a dead rubber 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier by scoring the lone goal.
He scored with a powerful shot from a rebound in the 53rd minute to ensure that three points were in the bag for the Lali Lubani Road outfit.
The Salima-based Malawi Defence Force (MDF) side were dealt a blow in the 66th minute when their midfielder Ernest Tambe was shown the red card after accumulating two yellow cards.
The consolation for the soldiers was that their goalkeeper Blessings Kameza, who thwarted several Nomads’ attempts, was named Farmers Organisation Limited man-of-the-match.
Mafco coach Pritchard Mwansa, whose side now is now in the relegation zone on 14th with 18 points from 19 matches, attributed the loss to biased officiation.
“The referees are happy because what they wanted has happened. The match officials have let us down. As Mafco, we have proved that referees are biased,” he said.
On the other hand, Nomads coach Mark Harrison described the match as tough.
He said: “It was difficult, it was not an easy game. We wasted some chances in the second half, we could have put the game away and probably won the game with four goals hsad we made good use of chances.
“Otherwise, they [Mafco] made life difficult for us, anyway at the end of the day, its three points.”
In other games, Moyale Barracks were held to a one-all draw by Bangwe All Stars at Rumphi Stadium.
Gastin Simkonda put the Mzuzu-based MDF side ahead in the 36th minute before Kondwani Chilembwe equalised with four minutes to full time.
Dedza Dynamos Salima Sugar beat yet another MDF side Red Lions 2-0 via goals from Ibrahim Sadiki, through a penalty and Clement Nyondo. n
