Mzuzu United faces uphill task in Blantyre
Mzuzu based TNM Super League rookies Mzuzu United are in Blantyre where they are supposed to fulfill two tricky fixtures against the city’s soccer powerhouse Big Bullets and rising stars Azam Tigers.
Their first assignment will be against Bullets FC at the country’s soccer Mecca, Kamuzu Stadium, before taking on youthful Tigers 24 hours later at the same venue.
The Mzuzu rookies are going into the games buoyed by 4-1 victory over Malawi Armed Forces College Football Club (Mafco FC) a fortnight ago.
The victory against the Salima based soldiers marked the turn into good fortunes for the rookies whose run in the elite soccer league was plagued and preceded by mixed fortunes in which they had registered two draws and five loses.
Now third from bottom with five points from eight outings, the Mzuzu based Super League novices are determined to continue from where they left off with Mafco FC to prove that their win against the Salima based warriors was not a mere fluke.
“We are treating the two fixtures like the previous one and we want to continue from where we left off with Mafco FC.
“We know our opponents are prepared and determined to collect maximum points on us but we are also resolute not to throw away any single point during these two encounters,” said Ollens Musonda, General Secretary of Mzuzu United.
He appealed to the officiating personnel to exercise professionalism during these two encounters, claiming that poor officiation by men in black has been a major factor that has undone his side in away fixtures.
“We have been robbed of victory in our previous away games because the referees have been biased against us.
This is the reason our country game is not picking up on international level because most of the players that are fielded in our national team are from teams mostly favored by referees on the domestic front,” he said.
To make their wish into reality, the Mzuzu rookies will have to ensure that their frontline and middle pack is in full boil with the services of Lazarus Deco Nyemera, Khumbo Ng’ambi, Mada Chiumia and Liston Sabuli.
The Mzuzu based side will also have to keep an eagle eye on their leaky backline which, in games they have played, has conceded 20 goals against 11 it has banged against into opponents’ goal.
The responsibility to plug the holes in the rearguard rests on the shoulders of Patrick Kasambara, Lovemore Jahman Jere, Kondwani Gabez Kayamba and Mayeso Ntchafu.
But Bullets mentor, Eddington Ng’onamo said in a radio interview Friday that his side will be out to avenge the embarrassment the Mzuzu based side inflicted on them by booting them out from Carlsberg Cup last year.
“We are out to avenge the embarrassment they brought on us when they booted us out of the Carlsberg Cup. They are a good side which plays good soccer but we are determined to collect maximum points during this encounter,” said Ng’onamo.
“It is our wish to collect maximum points in all the remaining games we will play in the first round games. It is extremely tough to collect full points in the second round because at that phase, most of the teams are in good form,” he added.
Bullets are on fourth position with 15 points in which they have played eight games, won four and drew three times. They must work on their frontline which had sterile performance in last week’s friendly game against Moyale FC which ended in a 0-0 draw in Mzuzu.
The men to watch from the Bullets Camp include their talisman, Diverson Mlozi and Heston Munthali to provide fire power upfront while Dalitso Sailesi, James Chilapondwa, Fisher Jahman Kondowe and Henry Magetsi Kabichi will be on the middle pack.
The responsibility to provide cover to their goal custodian Owen Chaima will be taken by Sankhani Mkandawire, George Nyirenda and Douglas Chirambo.
Efforts to talk to Azam Tigers technical team proved futile.—Malawi News Agency
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