Frustration mounting for Kamuzu Barracks: Malawi TNM Super League
Frustration is mounting for Malawi’s 2016 TNM Super League champions Kamuzu Barracks when one of their team officials Francis Shaba is reported to have tried to assault referee Esther Zimba when she disallowed a goal for infringement during their 1-1 draw against Blue Eagles on Wednesday played at Nankhaka Ground in Lilongwe.
The soldiers badly needed a win to try and move away from the danger zone of relegation.
The draw was not much for them as they still are on position 12 with 14 points but a win would have moved them a step or two up the ladder.
They now remain with just two games to wrap up their first round and the best they can achieve in the next round is to avoid relegation and also fight to be in the top eight to compete for the lucrative Airtel Top 8 Cup at the end of the season.
Dubbed, Leicester City of Malawi after the English Premier League side who failed to make their mark in the next season after clinching the Premiership title two seasons ago, Kamuzu Barracks won just four matches and have now drawn three time and lost five games.
Their next game is another tough assignment against 7th-placed Azam Tigers on Saturday at Civo Stadium and their unsporting behaviour, that started with a red card to their coach Billy Phambala, would definitely attract some wrath from the league’s mother body, the Super League of Malawi (Sulom).
Phambala was red carded when he gestured to his players to leave the pitch in protest of their disallowed goal and referee judged this as an unsporting behaviour.
Just this week, Sulom punished Nyasa Big Bullets with a whopping fine of K1.5 million for unsporting behaviour of failing to control their supporters and for bringing the game into disrepute following some disturbances that occurred during their match against Silver Strikers at Civo Stadium held on July 16.
Meanwhile, Blue Eagles now have 18 points from four wins, 6 draws and three losses.
Kamuzu Barracks’ next game against Azam Tigers, should also be interesting games because Tigers, while they still have a distant chance of claiming the league title, will be making sure they stay in the top eight in order to compete in the Airtel Top 8 Cup.
At the top of the table are bereaved Mighty Be Forward Wanderers with 28 points from 11 games of nine wins, one draw and one loss.
The Nomads lost their most loved chairman George Chamangwana last Friday, just a day before the country’s most followed derby against their arch rivals Nyasa Big Bullets which was scheduled to be played away from their own city, in Lilongwe.
The match goes ahead at Bingu National Stadium on Sunday, which is like Bullets’ home game. The People’s Team are on position four with 18 points from 11 games of five wins, three draws and three losses.
Coming on the heels of Wanderers with a difference of five points are Silver Strikers, who have 23 points from 11 games of six wins and five draws.
The Bankers, who are the team who have not registered a loss and are on bye this coming weekend, beat Dwangwa United 3-0 last weekend as they want to stamp their authority having win the inaugural Airtel Top 8 Cup at the beginning of the season when they beat Wanderers after post match penalties.
On third position are Moyale with 22 points from 12 games of six wins, four draws and two losses. Moyale host 8th-placed Civil Sporting at Mzuzu Stadium on Saturday and they should tread carefully against this side that thrashed 15th-placed Dwangwa United 6-0 last Saturday.
Other fixtures are Wizards v Masters Security at Mulanje Park on Saturday and on Sunday Mzuni (11th) v Civil Sporting (8th) at Mzuzu Stadium, Red Lions (10th) v Masters Security (13th) at Balaka Stadium and Blue Eagles (9th) v Azam Tigers (7th) at Nankhaka.
How they stand
(The number in brackets is for last season’s position and the P is for promoted teams):
P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1. (6) Wanderers 11 9 1 1 14 4 10 28
2. (3) Silver Strikers11 6 5 0 16 5 11 23
3. (7) Moyale 12 6 4 2 12 9 3 22
4. (2) Nyasa Bullets11 5 3 3 11 6 5 18
5. (4) Blue Eagles13 4 6 3 13 11 2 18
6. (13) Wizards 13 5 3 5 10 10 0 18
7. (5) Mafco 12 5 3 4 11 15 -4 18
8. (8) Azam Tigers 11 4 5 2 18 12 6 17
9. (11) Civil Sporting11 5 2 4 19 14 5 17
10. (10) Red Lions 12 4 4 4 15 12 3 16
11. (9) Mzuni 11 4 3 4 12 10 2 15
12. (1) K. Barracks12 4 3 5 14 14 0 14
13. (P) Masters Security12 3 4 5 12 15 -3 13
14. (P) Blantyre Utd14 3 2 9 18 25 -7 11
15. (12) Dwangwa Utd 13 2 2 9 9 25 -17 8
16. (P) Chitipa Utd13 1 2 10 8 25 -17 5
