Flames draw with Tunisia, a blessing in disguise

The world is an eyewitness to what is called the “Arab uprising”.

Tunisian people have had theirs and it’s been put to sleep. Egypt is licking its wounds of the same, and, in Libya; they are still hunting for Muammar Qaddafi.

FIFA rules are simple.  No politics in football.

Tunisia national football team on their way to Malawi, for their second leg of the 2012 African cup of nations qualifying game, followed the FIFA decree like an order from a Libyan rebel commander to his juniors to take over Tripoli.   Tunisian players left the phrase “Arab Uprising” in Tunis and arrived in Blantyre with the word “football” in their minds.

During the first leg, played in Tunis last year in September, the Tunisian politically volatile supporters argued that their team was fasting as the game was played during Ramadan period.

Malawi, Tunisia share spoils

“We were leading by 2 goals to  nil and when our boys lost steam because of lack of food in their stomachs, it is when the Malawians came back into the game”.

This time around, Ramadan had finished  4 days before the game, had the Tunisians known, they could have arrived earlier in Malawi because government had declared Eid al firt, a public holiday.  They could have had an extensive meal on this public holiday.

Nevertheless, Tunisians entered Kamuzu Stadium with full bellies this time and tormented their Malawian counterparts, reducing them to shadow chasers particularly in the second half.

All Malawians wanted was for the Flames to become triumphant on September the 3rd

Even people, who don’t talk football like, Malawi Congress Party’s prodigal son, Bester Majoni, on Saturday, 3/09/11, spoke football.

A draw was like a loss to the home supporters, prompting Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS)  announcer on duty, Lucy Chimwaza, popularly known as ‘Nachithidzi’  continuously ranting the words ‘zatibvuta’, zatibvuta’ as she played songs from Mlaka Maliro, Lucious Banda , Maroon Commandos and many more.

To Lucy and the home fans, we, the Timau Crew, say, don’t mislay your compassion on Malawi national football team.  A goal less draw was a blessing in disguise to the Flames.

For wiles sake, Malawi and Tunisia will go into the closing round of fixtures in October level on 11 points  but second-placed Tunisia have a better goal difference by  a point.

What does this mean? Malawi need to get a convincing win away in Chad in their final game and hope that Togo either hold the Tunisians in Tunis or that the politically under pressure, Tunisia’s victory is a narrow one.

Football is not like Arithmetic simple proportion but our calculation might one day in October make “common sense”, for this is when Malawi is playing Chad and Tunisia Togo.  Who stands a better chance?  Malawi or Tunisia? Malawi beat Chad 6-2 in Blantyre and Tunisia struggled to beat Togo 2-1 in Lome. Togo has got a new coach, S. Keshi; will he want to dent his reputation by losing 4-0 to Tunisia?

Malawi has now got a pool of talented players who are better than when the Flames that beat Chad 6-2 last year and, so, game on!

Lucy and all Doubting Thomases’ wait a minute.  Let the boys take their last test at the “football clinic” before they are declared infected with the deadly losing ‘virus’.

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