After a below-par performance that was as messy as out-of-sorts goalkeeper Bester Phiri’s beard, Be Forward Wanderers suffered their first 2016 TNM Super League 3-2 loss to Mafco Sunday.
Grumbling, pushing and shoving greeted Kamuzu Stadium final whistle as Wanderers—with their players wearing orange and their supporters in traditional blue—dropped from sixth place to 10th on the standings with six points from five games.
On the stage where their rivals, Nyasa Big Bullets, registered their first home 2-0 win over Epac the previous day, Wanderers endured a frustrating afternoon as Mafco scored through Stain Malata, Zikhole Nguluwe and Richard Mbulu. Jafali Chande and Boston Kabango netted for Wanderers.
The mismatch between the fans’ wish for a win and the players’ lazy displays were evident. While the fans cheered the team on, the players switched off to gift Malata an easy opener after breaching a crumbling off-side trap in the second minute.
Towering Malata bossed the midfield, captain Paul Ndlovu caged Amos Bello, whereas Saidi Mtekama could not believe the acres of space he was allowed to roam on the right wing.
On this flank, Wanderers’ left-back Ted Sumani and captain of the day, Mike Kaziputa were simply non-existent. That Kaziputa lasted 85 minutes on the pitch remains a mystery.
Somehow against the run of play, Wanderers striker Peter Wadabwa accelerated on the break to win a corner from which winger Isaac Kaliyati delivered into the box.
From the goal-mouth confusion, Chande headed in the equaliser in the 23rd minute for his first league goal since switching from Bullets. Half time ended 1-1.
The match resumed in the second half in similar fashion with Nguluwe’s corner-kick deflected into the net on the 52nd minute by Foster Namwela, who seemed to be speaking Greek with ‘keeper Phiri.
Nonetheless, Wanderers sought a response.
After Wadabwa had his penalty appeals ignored, then dragged his low effort marginally wide, Wanderers levelled matters again.
Substitute Jabulani Linje’s free-kick was met at the back post by Kabango’s header, which Mafco goalkeeper, Frank Kansiyamo, failed to deal with on the 85th minute.
However, the drama was not over as Namwela fouled an advancing Mafco player to give a free-kick in added time.
Then Wanderers’ keeper Phiri’s comedy of errors saw him drop Nguluwe’s free-kick, from the left, on the feet of Mbulu, who like a typical hungry wolf, headed in the winner to take Mafco’s tally to 11 points from six games.
On this afternoon, Mafco’s route-one football of long aerial balls into the channels worked perfectly. Coach Thengo Maloya’s smile said it, whereas Wanderers Assistant Coach, Elia Kananji, was dejected.
“We cannot afford to be dropping points like this. We will regret this in the late stages of the game. For the second goal, the goalkeeper just stood like a sign post. He had a bad day, but we have forgiven him. He is just human,” Kananji said.
Mafco have jumped from position eight to second on the log table, seven points behind leaders, Blue Eagles who defeated Moyale Barracks 1-0 also yesterday in Lilongwe.
Elsewhere, Karonga United anchors after losing 3-0 on their league debut to Silver Strikers in Mzuzu on Sunday.
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