Malawi: Sable Farming Bag Zero From Mzuzu

13 September 2022

TNM Super League debutants Sable Farming Football Club failed to collect even a single point from their two matches played at Mzuzu Stadium over the weekend.

The Blantyre based side lost 2 nil to Ekwendeni Hammers on Saturday. The game that was played before a sizeable crowd proved to be a balanced affair in the opening 20 minutes as both goal keepers got no threatening shots towards the goals they were guarding.

The hosts, however, showed prowess and zeal in building meaningful attacks in search of a goal after the first 20 minutes and took a lead in the 26th minute. Gift Chunga received the piece of leather on the left of the 18 yard box and when spectators thought he would decide to cross it inside, he released a volley from 21 metres that Sable Farming goalkeeper Fletcher Jamali just saw passing through the right hand corner of his goal to kiss the net.

Hammers built what came to be an assailable lead 4 minutes before recess when a Wongani Lungu corner kick from the right found Chikumbutso Henderson in the box and all what he needed to do was to tap the ball with his left foot into the visitors' net.

On Sunday they went on to lose yet another game 1 nil against Moyale Barracks. In this particular match on this particular day, Coach Macdonald Nginde Mtetemela made four changes from the first eleven that lost to Ekwendeni Hammers the previous day. Madalitso Chiume, Fatayo Bayo, Innocent Chipolopolo and Fabio Kapinde replaced Chimwemwe Chinamulungu, Sunganani Geoffrey, Simeon Singa and Stain Patricks.

The team displayed beautiful football, playing the ball flat on ground, exchanging brilliant passes and attacking very well but failed to clinically break Moyale Barracks defence and be able to shoot past goalkeeper Macdonald Harawa.

The soldiers got the only goal of the match after 39 minutes. A little flick into the 18 metre box found Raphael Phiri who came out tops in an aerial combat against a Sable Farming defender and managed to nod the ball past advancing goalkeeper Fletcher Jamali. The second half produced no goals.

Describing the Mzuzu trip to Nyasa Times, Sable Farming Coach, Macdonald Mtetemela, said it felt so bad to lose both matches.

"A team plays games to win. It's sad that we are returning to Blantyre without even a single point. Today we played very well unlike in the game against Hammers.

"It's true our goalkeeper was jittery in goals in both matches. But I have said it before and I wouldn't want to repeat. Sable Farming will survive relegation and remain in the top flight league," remarked Mtetemera.

Moyale Barracks Coach, Prichard Mwansa, expressed delight in collecting maximum points against the visitors.

"I am happy with the way my players played. We created a number of chances but failed to score. But what is important is that we managed to defend the only goal that we scored and eventually collected three points," Mwansa said.

The rookies are stuck in the relegation zone on position 14 with 15 points from 20 games.

Moyale Barracks FC is now on position 7 with 32 points from 21 matches.

Hammers are now on position 13 with 19 points from 23 games. TN Stars and Rumphi United remain glued at positions 15 and 16 respectively, right down in the dreaded relegation zone.

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