Player of the moment, Mwaungulu
* Mwaungulu could have opted to aim for the ball but seeing the advancing goalkeeper had his sights on him, he set the assist to Mpasi
* The Flames are now third with six points, one behind Namibia — who drew 1-1 with Liberia on Wednesday
* And three behind leaders Tunisia, who beat Equatorial Guinea 1-0 also played on Wednesday
* While São Tomé and the Equatoguineans do not have any point in these FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers
Maravi Express
Just seven minutes on the pitch after coming in for Robert Saizi in the 35th and leading 2-0, Patrick Mwaungulu made his presence felt with a powerful shot which went a whisker off target and he was back in the 60th when he was fed well by Lanjesi Nkhoma but his connection hit the woodwork.
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In the 66th minute, after São Tomé e Príncipe had earlier troubled Malawi defence, the visitors pulled one back and as it was, they threatened to equalise — but Mwaungulu rose to the occasion in the when he set a perfect pass to Chifundo Mpasi to score and restore the two goal margin which won them the match.
Mwaungulu could have opted to aim for the ball but seeing the advancing goalkeeper had his sights on him, he set the assist to Mpasi.
The job has been done as the Flames are now third with six points, one behind Namibia — who drew 1-1 with Liberia on Wednesday and three behind leaders Tunisia, who beat Equatorial Guinea 1-0 also played on Wednesday while São Tomé and the Equatoguineans do not have any point in these FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers.
Only the leaders of each of the nine groups will qualify for the finals to be jointly hosted by USA, Mexico and Canada, while the four best second-placed teams from all nine groups will engage in a continental playoff, determining a single victor who will then proceed to a second and final playoff.
This final stage will comprise six teams from various confederations, with the top two emerging as qualified participants, ultimately making up the 48 competing teams.
The Flames will be traveling to Malabo to face the pointless Equatorial Guinea on Monday as Tunisia travel to South Africa to meet Namibia on Sunday with Liberia dating São Tomé.
Other substitutions coach Patrick Mabedi were first to replace injured second goal scorer Lanjesi Nkhoma for Wisdom Mpinganjira in the 62nd minute and a triple substitution in the 66th — bringing out Chimwemwe Idana, Chifundo Mphasi and Chawanangwa Kaonga, for US-based Henri Kumwenda, current TNM Super League top scorer Zeliat Nkhoma and defender Chikondi Kamanga.
First to score was Kaonga Chawanangwa as early as the 6th minute with Lanjesi increasing the lead to 2-0 in the 14th before Mwaungulu’s assist to Mphasi in the 78th.
After conceding that early, São Tomé showed signs of life on the counter attack and what kept the Flames stronger was superior ball possession.
Forward forays through the wings that were manned by Lanjesi Nkhoma and Robert Saizi caused lots of problems to the visitors who were visibly failing to contain pressure that was emanating from the midfield duo of Chimwemwe Idana and Lloyd Aaron.
No wonder a combination of passes from a move that started on the left flank resulted into a first goal guided by the Zambia-based Kaonga who had a simple task of guiding the ball into the net in the 6th minute following a one-two passes string inside the attacking third.
The goal gave the Flames some edge and tenacity as it bolstered the hosts confidence who started to display beautiful football that culminated into a second goal from Lanjesi Nkhoma in the 13th minute.
Mabedi’s First XI had goalkeeper George Chikooka (Silver Strikers), Stanley Sanudi (Mighty Wanderers), Tatenda M’balaka, Nickson Mwase (Silver Strikers), Denis Chembezi (Al-Qasim SC, Iraq), Lloyd Aaron, Lanjesi Nkhoma (Nyasa Big Bullets), Robert Saizi (ZANACO), Zambia), Chimwemwe Idana (Silver Strikers), Chifundo Mphasi and Chawanangwa Kaonga (ZANACO).
His subs were goalkeepers Brighton Munthali (Black Leopards, South Africa) and Innocent Nyasulu (Nyasa Big Bullets), McDonald Lameck, Chikondi Kamanga, Maxwell Paipi(Silver Strikers), Precious Sambani, Patrick Mwaungulu (Nyasa Big Bullets), Wisdom Mpingajira, Lawrence Chaziya (Mighty Wanderers), Zelliat Nkhoma (Kamuzu Barracks) and Henri Kumwenda, Butler Men’s Soccer, US).
Mwaungulu, who has scored four goals so far in the 9 games of the TNM Super League 2024 season — the fourth coming from three consecutive goals that was a special one as he scored it on his 22nd birthday and straight from a corner kick — is the special one indeed, as he was voted TNM Super League 2023 Player of the Season as well as FDH Bank Cup 2023 Player of the Tournament and for this campaign, he was also the first to win the Player of the Month accolade.—Additional reporting by Fam.mw, edited by Maravi Express
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