Chande’s brace secures Wanderers win over Chitipa: Malawi TNM Super League
TNM Super League leaders Mighty Be Forward Wanderers on Saturday produced a stunning performance to beat strugglers and bottom placed Chitipa United in an entertaining match played at the Balaka Stadium.
Straight from a less entertaining 6-5 victory in the Carlsberg Cup through post match penalties on Wednesday, Wanderers Technical Panel led by Head Coach Yasin Osman brought in all their gunners including experienced and longest serving member Joseph Kamwendo who had a grand game.
The Nomads took the game with a different approach comparing to their Wednesday’s assignment in which they struggled to win for underrating Fish Eagles in the Carlsberg Cup.
The opening 20 minutes looked a balanced affair but Wanderers started to dominate the game with some flashes of brilliance from Kamwendo, Jabulani Linje, Rafiq Namwera and Yamikani Chester.
They nearly took the lead in the 28th minute when Jafali Chande rounded two derenders before enrishing a shot that went straight into the palms of Chitipa United steady goalkeeper Lloyd Munthali.
Wanderers broke the deadlock in the 34th minute through Chande who headed the ball home after being set by overlapping defender Francis Mlimbika.
First half ended 1-0 in favour of the home side.
Barely a minute into the second half, Chitipa nearly levelled the scores through Wacheta Mwenefumbo but his final shot from close range was brilliantly parried away for a corner kick by Wanderers goal custodian Richard Chipuwa.
Mwenefumbo was at it again in the 65th minute when he finally got answers for his hard work after he beautifully striked home a left footed volley.
Chande who was already booked in the first half escaped a red card in the 73rd minute when he deliberately kicked the ball into Chitipa United net after the referee had already blown the whistle for an offside.
Moments later, the Nomads nearly conceded the second goal from a free kick from close range following a Lucky Malata’s professional foul at the edge of the penalty box which surprising the referee blew for a foul.
As the gamed looked to settle for a draw, it was Chande again who blasted the ball into the net from a deflection after substitute Khumbo Ng’ambi’s effort was acrobatically saved by Chitipa goalkeeper.
Speaking after the match, Wanderers head coach Yasin Osman admitted it was a tough match but thanked his boys for putting up a gallant fight.
“It was a tight game typically a David versus Golliat battle because we are on top and we were playing against a team from the bottom. But we knew we will win the game because we had a good first team and had some good players kept on the bench who could gave as a win as well,”said Osman.
Commenting on the next games, Osman said: “Every game will be difficult for us because we are the leaders but we will keep on fighting”.
His opposite number Kondwani Mwalweni, blamed his charges for losing concentration in the middle of the game.
He repeatedly stated that his side cintinues to struggle due to long distance covered in both home and away games since they are currently using Mzuzu Stadium as home ground which is more that 300 kilometeres from their base.
But Mwalweni is confident of a possible come back and start winning games once Karonga Stadium is opened and setified fit to host games next season where they will be using as home ground.
“We try our best to fetch for any possible point until we finish the first round but come second round when karonga Stadium is opened, it will be a different story and you will be surprised. We are losing because of fatigue because we are always on the road” Mwalweni told Nyasa Times.
Meanwhile, the Nomads who on Sunday face Blue Eagles still leads at the summit of the table with 25 points from 10 games.
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