There was nothing to separate longtime rivals Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers Sunday as they drew one-all in a friendly match at Kamuzu Stadium.
The match was organised to raise funds for Bullets’ injured goalkeeper Vincent Gona, who needs about K3.6 million to undergo a back surgery at Beit Cure International Hospital in Blantyre this week.
As is usually the case these days, this clash of Malawi football giants failed to sparkle and the sizeable crowd had to brave the chilly conditions to witness this drab encounter.
The absence of Bullets’ eight key players and the Nomads’ five key players due to national team duties at the Cosafa Cup in Namibia seemed to have had a bigger impact on the quality of play which has always been questionable in recent derbies.
Barely two minutes after referee Happy Ng’ambi blew the first whistle, Bullets were already in front through Dave Ng’ambi’s low finish after penetrating the right side of Wanderers’ defence.
The early goal did not bring the match to life and neither goalkeeper was tested.
Wanderers drew level in the 23rd minute when Bongani Kaipa coolly slotted home Mike Kaziputa’s low cross from the left.
Bullets thought they had responded two minutes later, but Nikiza Aimabre’s tap-in was ruled out for offside.
Aimabre then saw his long range thunderbolt impressively kept out by Wanderers goalkeeper Peter Munthali on the stroke of half-time.
Aimabre, working hard to impress in the absence of regulars Muhammad Sulumba and Chiukepo Msowoya, then had another goal ruled out for off-side early in the second half.
Wanderers were the first to make changes, introducing Rafik Mussa for Alfred Manyozo Junior, Khumbo Ng’ambi for Jimmy Zakazaka and Ibrahim Sadiki for Kaziputa.
The substitutions did not improve the quality of play and Amos Bello, Felix Zulu and Patrick Gunde were introduced for Luka Milanzi, Sparrow Msowoya and Ernest Tambe.
Japanese attacker Genki Nakumura made his debut when he replaced Kaipa with five minutes left on the clock
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