Poor attendance overshadows Malawi’s winning start to Afcon qualifying

Malawi’s Flames opened their TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over South Sudan on Friday night — but the celebrations were tempered by a strikingly poor turnout at the magnificent Bingu National Stadium, with vast sections of the 40,000-capacity venue left conspicuously empty.

The clash, played under the floodlights on a Friday evening straight after the working week, saw both Malawi and South Sudan eager to kickstart their qualifying campaigns on a winning note. In the end, it was the hosts who came out on top, edging a tense encounter 2-1.

But rather than a packed, roaring stadium befitting such a crucial fixture, supporters were left scattered thinly across the stands, with the disappointing attendance sparking fresh concern among football followers about the national side’s ability to draw crowds.

Some observers have been quick to link the underwhelming numbers to the Flames’ recent inconsistent form, suggesting fans may be growing increasingly reluctant to turn up in force until the team proves it can deliver results on a more regular basis.

Despite playing in front of a half-empty stadium, Malawi’s players still had a job to do — and they duly delivered for those supporters who did make the effort to travel to Bingu National Stadium, securing a vital three points to open their qualifying account.

With qualification for next year’s tournament very much on the line, Malawi will now be hoping that Friday’s victory can serve as the spark needed to reignite genuine enthusiasm among the wider fanbase — and convince far bigger crowds to fill Bingu National Stadium as the Flames continue their qualifying push in the fixtures still to come.