* Alongside Lilongwe’s Civo Stadium for their poor state of the pitch, official authorized capacity not known, poor players tunnel
* As well as missing technical benches, poor condition of perimeter fence, poor dressing rooms, no public address system, dilapidated scoreboard etc
By Duncan Mlanjira
Following numerous concerns from clubs of Mzuzu Stadium’s pitiable state of pitch and its amenities, with latest coming from Mighty Wanderers ahead of their TNM Super League match against Ekwendeni Hammers, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has with effect from Wednesday, August 16, banned it from hosting official elite matches alongside Lilongwe’s Civo Stadium.
A press statement from FAM says the ban is for Super League and knockout competitions national phase matches.
FAM says this follows an inspection exercise it instituted on July 27 for Mzuzu Stadium and Civo the following day, July 28, “which highlighted a number of shortfalls on the two facilities”.
The report for Mzuzu Stadium highlights poor state of the pitch, official authorized capacity not known, poor players tunnel, missing technical benches, poor condition of perimeter fence, poor dressing rooms, no public address system, dilapidated scoreboard, among others.
For Civo stadium the main highlights are non-functional public toilets, official authorized capacity not known, non-functional public address system, poor condition of perimeter fence and lack of scoreboard among others.
“Authorities for both Stadiums have been notified of FAM’s position and the urgent nature of the situation at hand,” said the statement.
Ahead of their match against Ekwendeni, which the Nomads won 2-1 to Chitipa United FC on third position on the TNM Super League table, coach Mark Harrison emotionally condemned the status of Mzuzu Stadium pitch — saying it is “an absolute disgrace and unplayable”.
Harrison and his charges at Mzuzu Stadium on Tuesday
He anticipated their match against the Hammers was not going to be easy, saying the pitch was “worse now than it was earlier in the season…not playable in any form.
He emphasized: “I will say this a day before the game; if we win 5 nil or lose 5 nil, I will still say the same, this is not playable and should not be used in the Super League, it’s a shocker!”
He joined controversial Silver Strikers Dutch coach, Pieter De Jongh, who courted wrath of the football fraternity when he described in May that Mzuzu Stadium pitch was in such a bad state that even his four-year-old dog would get injured playing on it.
After Silver Strikers’ game against the same Ekwendeni Hammers in which De Jongh was shown two yellow cards that translated into a red, the Dutch told the media in post match interview that the state of the Mzuzu Stadium pitch was “a big shame”, while taking a swipe at sports authorities that they “should be doing things in a professional manner”.
He emphasized that it is a shame that professional football in Malawi is being played on bad pitches, saying: “How is it possible that professional football is being played on this bad pitch where I am even sure that my that my four-year-old dog would get injured playing at it.”
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While the public condemned the coach’s attitude as being undiplomatic just because he is a foreigner, several other local coaches and players continue to condemn the state of Mzuzu Stadium but the authorities seemed not to take action on this.
Meanwhile, following their triumph over Ekwendeni Hammers coach Harrison described the match as “really a tough” and still described the field as “totally unplayable but both teams tried to play as much as they could”.
“I think they [Ekwendeni Hammers] are one of the better teams in the league to be honest with you,” he told the media after the game. “They are one of the best teams we have come up against, credit to them.
“Today our boys were brilliant and we deserved to win. We could have scored two or three more in the end but we take the points and move on. We got another tough game on Saturday against Chitipa in Karonga, we will have to recover in time for that, it’s not going to be easy but I am sure our boys are ready.”
He further said his side tries to create opportunities and their season has been that they were not taking opportunities “but today we took a couple and we missed a good couple”.
“We were more of a threat than they were but at the same we had to be on our guard despite conceding a goal which l felt we shouldn’t have conceded. They had two or three half chances as well and it was a good game on a field that is unplayable.”
Ahead of the game against Chitipa United on Saturday, which would see them occupying the top slot as leaders Nyasa Big Bullets are away for the CAF Champions League assignment, Harrison said: “Look, I am not that type of a guy who will say anything before we go there.
“I know it will be tough game and they are playing well. They have won all their games at home this season. I look at their stats, they are a threat but we have to go there with the same mentality we had today.
“If we do, then we give ourselves an opportunity — this is all I can say at this point. I am not going to stick my neck out and say we are going to get three points. I am not that presumptuous, we are just going to work hard and see what we can get.”
Vincent Nyangulu, who was voted Man of the Match, opened the score sheet in the 56th minute before Vitumbiko Kumwenda doubled the lead in the 66th minute following a Francisco Madinga assist.
Ekwendeni Hammers pulled one back through Wongani Lungu at the stroke of 70th and hung on to lose 1-2 with the Nomads now having 32 points — two behind the leaders Nyasa Big Bullets.
Wanderers, Silver Strikers and Chitipa United share 32 points but are separated by goal difference with Bankers second, the Nomads 3rd and Chitipa 4th.
If both Silver Strikers and Wanderers win, goal difference will determine the leader as the Bankers’ is 14 with Nomads at 11 and Chitipa at 6.
The second round would be a tight campaign for Nyasa Big Bullets in their quest to defend their title TNM Super League for the 5th consecutive title as they will have their eyes over their shoulders against close contenders — Silver Strikers, Mighty Wanderers and team of the 2023 season, Chitipa United.
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