* We did a good job up in Dwangwa but it will be a different story at Kamuzu Stadium
* Mafco is fighting for it’s life at the bottom and they got beaten last week in Lilongwe by Extreme FC
* I know they will be angry, they will be upset and they will be hungry for three points
By Duncan Mlanjira
With 13 more games to conclude the 2023 TNM Super League season, Mafco FC precariously lie on the red zone of 13th place and thus Mighty Wanderers head coach, Mark Harrison is wary of the soldiers for this afternoon’s match at Kamuzu Stadium.
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The Nomads beat the soldiers in the first round but Harrison takes cognizance that “every game is different”, Harrison told Wanderers Media. “We did a good job up in Dwangwa but it will be a different story here.
“Mafco is fighting for it’s life at the bottom and they got beaten last week in Lilongwe by Extreme FC. I know they will be angry, they will be upset and they will be hungry for three points.
“So if we will enter this game with this mentality [that it’s a walkover since we beat them last time], we will be in trouble. We have to focus and make sure we are ready for action tomorrow.”
Harrison and his deputy Albert Mpinganjira— Picture courtesy of Wanderers Media
Going into match, Wanderers are 4th with 33 points having been displaced from the second slot by Chitipa United, who beat Ekwendeni Hammers yesterday in Karonga — they home venue where they have won nine matches and drew 0-0 with Nomads last week.
The win propelled the Inkhalamu to the top spot with 36 points, dislodging defending champions who have been out of action for two Match Weeks due to their Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League’s first stage of the preliminary round against Dragon FC of Equatorial Guinea.
They lead by 2-0 having won the first leg away and hope to stab their opponents more this afternoon at Bingu National Stadium before returning to local action on Wednesday against Civil Service United.
Team of the moment, Chitipa United.— Picture courtesy of Chitipa United Media
The Bullets are now second with their 34 points with two games in hand while Silver Strikers, who drew 0-0 with bottom of the table Extreme FC on Friday at Bingu National Stadium, are third with 33 points.
Meanwhile — while being exceptionally pleased with the inclusion of Wisdom Mpinganjira in the Flames’ call up by interim coach Patrick Mabedi, coach, Harrison believes his first choice goalkeeper William Thole should have made the grade.
Wanderers have contributed five players called into Flames provisional squad that goes into camp to prepare for the last game of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Guinea on September 8.
Blossoming Wisdom Mpinganjira, who has played almost all of Wanderers games this season, has been called together with newly-signed, Francisco Madinga as well as Lawrence Chaziya, Stanley Sanudi and Christopher Kumwembe who scored his international goal at the Cosafa Cup has also been included.
Wisdom Mpinganjira at the peak of his form.—Picture courtesy of Wanderers Media
On his impression over Flames call up, Harrison told Wanderers Media: “It’s always encouraging to see your players being called up for the national team, and five players is a lot [titters].
“At the end of the day, I am exceptionally pleased for Wisdom because he has been playing so well this season and he deserves recognition. And talking about recognition, I am bit disappointed that you have got William Thole who has been left out when he is the best goalkeeper in the league at the moment without doubt.
“He has nine clean sheets, he doesn’t seem to concede many goals and almost half of the goals he has conceded have been penalties. So I don’t understand why he is not in the squad when you have a goalkeeper who is in first division in the squad.
“It does not make sense to me but anyway I am not the national coach but it’s just my observation and I just find it hard to believe — I think it’s a little bit embarrassing really.”
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Malawi will host Guinea at the Bingu National stadium in Lilongwe that will primarily be used to prepare for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 African qualifiers in which they grouped with Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Liberia and São Tomé.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches will take place on 10 matchdays over the course of the next two years — the first of which will be on November 13-21, 2023.
The next match days will be held on June 3-11, 2024; March 17-25, 2025; September 1-9, 2025; October 6-14, 2025; and November 10-18, 2025.
In his provisional squad, Mabedi has roped in four new faces — goalkeeper George Chiooka of Chitipa United and defenders Tatenda Mbalaka of Silver Strikers, Chimwemwe Nkhoma of Mayamiko Stars and Alex Kambilinya of Mighty Tigers.
The rest of the players were part of his last squad for last month’s COSAFA Cup and unattached and non-Super League players and those whose teams will not be involved in Super League midweek fixtures will join camp on Monday at Mpira Village in Blantyre while those players whose teams will be engaged will join camp on Thursday — before leaving for Lilongwe on Friday.
Mabedi is expected to name the list of foreign based players next week and despite the Flames being out of contention for the AFCON finals qualification.
The following is the full provisional squad:
Goalkeepers: Innocent Nyasulu (Mighty Tigers Fc), George Chikooka (Chitipa United), Austin Chirambo (Nyasa Reserves)
Defenders: Stanley Sanudi, Lawrence Chaziya (Mighty Wanderers), Mark Lameck (Blue Eagles FC) Nickson Mwase, Tatenda M’balaka (Silver Strikers), Blessings Mpokera (Nyasa Big Bullets) Chimwemwe Nkhoma (Mayamiko Stars), Yamikani Mologeni (Bangwe All Stars), Daniel Chimbalanga (MAFCO), Alex Kambilinya (Mighty Tigers) Chembezi Denis (unattached)
Midfielders: Robert Gomez Saizi (Bangwe All Stars), Lanjesi Nkhoma, Frank Willard, Patrick Mwaungulu (Nyasa Big Bullets), Lloyd Aaron (Civil Service United), Chimwemwe Idana (unattached), Chikondi Kamanga (Silver Strikers), Wongani Lungu (Ekwendeni Hammers), Chrispine Mapemba (Nyasa Reserves), Blessings Singini (Ekwendeni Hammers), Wisdom Mpinganjira, Francisco Madinga (Mighty Wanderers), Bennie Manyozo (Mighty Tigers)
Strikers: Christopher Kumwembe (Mighty Wanderers), Clement Nyondo (Dedza Dynamos), Mphatso Magaleta (Ekwendeni Hammers)
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