Kanyenda helps Wanderers maintain top position: Malawi TNM Super League

Mighty Be Forward Wanderers FC maintained their one point lead at the summit of the elite TNM Super League after beating Lilongwe based military side Kamuzu Barracks 1-0 in a less entertaining match played at the Balaka Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

All credits should go to veteran striker and former Flames and Polokwane City international striker Esau ‘Black’ Mamba Kanyenda who scored the only goal of the match that handed the Nomads maximum three points.

The Nomads suffered a huge blow in as early as five minutes when their experienced defender Harry Nyirenda was stretched off after sustaining an injury in the face.

He was replaced by Kondwani Lufeyo who did a very good job in taking care of K.B’s duo of Kelvin Hanganda and Manase Chiyesa upfront.

The Lali Lubani Boys had an upper hand interms of ball possession as they dominated proceedings especially on the midfield where they featured Jabulani Linje, Joseph Kamwendo and Rafiq Namwera.

Up front, they had Jafali Chande and Kanyenda who were both tightly marked by K.B defenders marshalled by former Blue Eagles sweeper Pempho Kansichili.

Kanyenda only had his first attempt on goal in the 40th minute.

He later incredibly headed in the ball four minutes later to give the nomads the lead from a well delivered free kick from defender Stanly Sanudi.

The Nomads dominated the entire first half as K.B looked disjointed despite featuring all their stars including captain Harvey Nkacha, Dave Banda and Gift M’bwana at the middle of the park.

It was only their right winger Mude Jefreyformerly of Epac who was showing some flashes of brilliance from the right winger and delivered a couple of dangerous crosses into the nomads penalty area but the defence did a good job including goalkeeper Richard Chipuwa who had a
grand game.

Referee of the day Zondwayo Siwombo had a very busy afternoon following K.B’s Physical style of play.

K.B had their first best chance in the 60th minute when their striker Chiyesa produced a 20 meter thunderbolt by Chipuwa acrobatically saved the situation before the ball was cleared by one of his defenders.

Sanudi received the first yellow card midway into the second half for over reacting towards the referee after he gave a blind eye to a Nkacha’s handball.

World Nkuliwa was also yellow carded for recklessly tackling Sanudi.

In the 77th munute, Kanyenda headed in the second but the linesman flag was already up for an offside.

Wanderers made some tactical changes aiming to defend their lead.

They brought in Khumbo Ng’ambi for injured Chande and Alfred Manyozo Jnr came in for Jabulani Linje while K.B rested Nkacha and brought in Steve Kanong’ona.

1-0 it ended at the end of regulation time.

Speaking in a post-match interview, Wanderers Head Coach Yasin Osman was delighted with the win.

He described the game as difficult since they were coming from a loss in the Carlsberg Cup final.

“It was a very difficult game but we needed to win as we were coming from a loss in the Carlsberg Cup final. We played well in the first half but failed to tick in the second half but all in all I am happy that we managed to collect maximum points” said Osman.

K.B coach Billy Phambala who was red carded towards the end of the match for angrily protesting a referee’s decision was furious and attributed the loss to poor officiation.

“We played well particularly in the first half but we were let down by the incompetent referee who officiated the game. We could have equalised and even won the game in the second half but the referee was biased and helped the nomads in making actions that delayed time. He was making alot of strange decisions and I don’t know what is wrong with this referee; he seems not to know anything about football,” said Phambala.

Wanderers still leads the log table with 38 points from 16 games while Silver Strikers who on Sunday struggled to beat Premier Bet Wizard 1-0 come second with 37 points from 17 games.

Nyasa Big Bullets who on Saturday beat Chitipa United 2-0 are on third position with 31 points from 16 games while Civil Sporting Club have squeezed themselves to position four.

The Civil Servants who on Saturday thumped Moyale 3-0 have 28 points from 17 games.

Blue Eagles and Moyale Barracks have 28 points each and seats on positions five and six but they are separated by goal difference.

However, there were no changes at the bottom of the table.

Dwangwa who lost to Mzuni 2-0 on Saturday are stuck on position 14, Blantyre United on 15 while Chitipa anchors the table with 11 points.

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