Wizards first win at Kamuzu Stadium after beating Dedza: TNM Super League

Fisds Wizards TNM Super League hopes of surviving relegation are still alive after they eased to victory against Dedza Young Soccer in a first half drama encounter at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

The Chilomoni township based out-fit win gave them a glimmer of hope to survive the chop in the elite league if they are going to win the rest four of their matches.

Despite the high stakes, in practice Fisds Wizards had no trouble with a Dedza side that many soccer pundits predicted an easy win in Blantyre.

Man of the match Mike Nkwate scored a brace in the first half before Godfrey Masonda formely of Big Bullets nailed the last nail on the visitors coffin.

However, there was drama in the early kick-off of the match, when the referee sent Dedza Young Soccer coach Pofera Jegwe and his two colleagues to the stands for manhandling the fourth officials.

Jegwe and the other two officials were not happy with the linesman decision allowing Fisds to continue playing while the ball went outside.

A furious Jegwe in a black suit rushed to the fourth official together with the other two Dedza officials, where bitter words were exchanged.

It had to take an intervention of two policemen and Super League of Malawi vice President Daudi Suleman to calm the situation.

Tempers flared on the VIP stands, where some supporters mocked the other officials, who nearly exchanged blows with them.

Back on the pitch, Fisds was a marvel to watch with carpet football from the back to upfront.

Ernest Tambe was the main character for Fisds, as he controlled the midfield outplaying the visitors.

Nkwate was also languid style sees him painted as something of an enigma, but when he moves so silkily, dictating the tempo in this fashion, he looked a player of the highest quality.

If Nkwate is the man who provides the brushstrokes on Fisds canvas when they are playing well, then Tambe is the energiser, a perpetual motion combination of intensity and talent that can prove irresistible.

Fisds did not only get a world-class midfielder, they acquired a character who can set the tone for a performance with his work ethic and desire.

He proved it here, not just with chocolate passes but with his relentless determination to win the ball back when possession was lost, a prime example being in the first half when he chased back 40 yards down Fisds left-flank to make three tackles before eventually securing the ball.

Can Fisds come through?

Fisds are more than capable of getting the victory they require against some of the four teams left to play with if they will continue with Saturdays perfomance.

They possess more quality than any other team in the League – but can they deliver when it matters?

The question now is whether this Fisds side can be trusted when the pressure is at its highest in the last four matches.

Post-match comments

Fisds coach Peter Mponda: “It was a good game but l must salute my boys because this is a timely victory as we battle to survive in the League. We wanted to come out of today with a chance and now we’ve got it. Now it’s down to how well we do against the remaining matches.”

Dedza Young Soccer coach Pofera Jegwe: “Today Fisds was the much better team, they were much better than when we played in Dedza.

“I’m sure they can survive. They have a big chance. They have a lot of quality players despite lacking experience.”

Kamuzu Stadium jinx for Wizards

Earlier FISD Wizzards expressed their concern on Super League of Malawi’s decision to reschedule their game against Dedza from Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo to Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

Wizzards’ chairperson Mike Tembo questioned Malawi top league runners’ decision to move the game from the traditional home base to Blantyre.

Tembo’s concern in the wake of the team’s fairytale run having managed to collect seven points out of a possible nine as they make a dramatic late bid to stay in Malawi’s to league.

“We surprised that Sulom decided the game to Kamuzu Stadium while they know that our home ground is Kalulu Stadium. This is unacceptable because it’s against home right,” Tembo said.

Vice chairperson George Kapachika said the team had decided to respect the changes in the interest of football development and sponsors’ sake.

Kapachika said efforts to reason with Sulom to have the game played at their backyard had proved futile.

“We are playing under protest because Sulom has violated our right of home ground. We are doing this for the sake of football as well as out of respect for our sponsors,” Kapachika said.

Sulom General Secretary Williamns Banda downplayed the situation saying the change was done because the game was a special game as the sponsors would like to hold activities.

But Banda did not disclose the nature of the activities TNM would do at Kamuzu Stadium which could not be done at Kalulu Stadium.

FISD, formerly Surestream, have beaten Airborne Rangers and Kamuzu Barracks and held struggling giants Silver Strikers to a two-all draw in the second round.

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