Top-flight league champions Mighty Wanderers started their title defence in the inaugural FDH Premiership with a hard-fought 1-2 victory over a strong-willed Creck Sporting Club at Aubrey Dimba Stadium in Mchinji yesterday. Initially, the Nomads were supposed to face Karonga United in a launch game last weekend, but it was postponed due to an impasse between Football Association of Malawi and Super League of Malawi over the state of Kamuzu Stadum in Blantyre. In yesterday’s match, the Blantyre-based giants drew first blood in the 40th minute through new-signing Lameck Mithi from a Stanley Sanudi delivery.
But Creck’s Lawrent Banda cancelled the lead in the 72nd minute when he connected home a well-curled cross from Jackson Beza. With the match seemingly headed for a stalemate, the champions pounced. Striker Promise Kamwendo restored the lead for the Nomads with a fabulous shot in the 81st minute.
The Nomads are now sixth with three points from one match, but with a game in hand. Wanderers assistant coach McDonald Mtetemera admitted that they sweated for the victory. “We knew it was not going to be an easy match, but credit for the boys, they fought every inch of the way,” said the former Creck Sporting mentor.
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His Creck counterpart Elia Kananji said attributed the loss to defensive lapses. “We were guilty of ball watching, both goals were give aways,” he said. At Joyce Chitsulo Stadium in Mwanza, FCB Nyasa Bullets registered their first win after seeing off Salima-based Mafco FC 1-0 courtesy of Vitumbiko Phiri’s 46th minute own goal.
The defender turned into an angel of mercy for the People’s Team when he failed to deal with Chawanangwa Gumbo’s cross to send the Bullets faithful into ecstacy. Bullets are now fourth with four points having drawn their first match 2-2 against Lilongwe-based Civil Service United in their opening match.
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