On a bumpy and dusty pitch, the performance was not great but the atmosphere offered football-starved Blantyre fans something to sheer about on Saturday afternoon.
Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers reserve sides settled for a 1-1 draw at BAT Ground in a scrappy affair that only burst to life occasionally but, off the pitch, football was the ultimate winner.
The Chitetezo Mbaula Premier Division first-round match raked in a record K1.2 million, with K388,000 going to each team and a similar amount to ground managers, among other expenses.
Hardworking and talented Tilimbike Jeke scored the opener after Bullets’ sloppy defending in the 19th minute, only for Chimwemwe Yasini to level matters for the rivals minutes later.
Bullets wanted to play a passing game but such type of play was not realistic on a bumpy pitch. Wanderers Reserve Coach Albert Mpinganjira got his tactics right as his charges played a direct long ball game.
Bullets Reserve took their tally to 19 points from seven games whereas Wanderers remain fifth with 10 points on the standings.
Reflecting on the match, Southern Region Football Association Vice General Secretary, Kingsley Simbeye, said it offered them plenty of positives.
“Patronage was impressive so much that we run out of tickets and we had to have some more printed. The amount realised is a record. Our previous record was K300,000 earned from a game between Bullets Reserve and Changalume,” said Simbeye said, whose office also paid stewards, police, printers, match assessor and fourth officials.
Overall, football won because, for once, fans of this commercial city that is lifeless football-wise came in their large numbers. They paid K500 each and filled the dilapidated venue to its seams.
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