Malawi clubs in row over Bafana game

Tonight’s international friendly between the Flames and Bafana Bafana has caused a storm back in Malawi.

Current league champions Escom United and MTL Wanderers have revealed that they did not report for their Super League weekend games because Football Association of Malawi gave them permission not to do so as they had a number of players doing duty with the national team.

Escom would have faced Silver Strikers on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium, but they did not pitch up, while Wanderers did not travel to Lilongwe for their assignments against Eagle Beaks and Civo on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

The league organisers, Sulom, have now awarded points to Beaks and Silver in accordance with the rules and regulations, but officials from both Escom and Wanderers are disputing this, claiming that they did not report for their fixtures after FAM excused them from the games.

Wanderers’ secretary Ambokile Salimu said FAM wrote on Friday asking them not to travel as they had contributed five players to the Flames squad, including Moses Chavula, who is in South Africa.

Their players that were in camp included Bernard Kalirani, Harry Nyirenda, Foster Namwera and Vales Kamzere.

“We followed FAM’s instructions because they are the ones that oversee all football activities in the country,” Salimu said.

“If Sulom goes ahead with the decision to dock the points, we will take unspecified action,” he said.

Escom secretary Oscar Chiotha also expressed similar sentiments but he added that they did not want to withdraw their players from national team so as to enable the Flames to prepare effectively for their World Cup and African Cup qualifier against DR Congo.

“What would the people have said if we had withdrawn the players? We did not withdraw our players so that the nation should benefit,” he said.

Among others, Escom players who are in camp are Noel Mkandawire, Dave Mphaya, Peter Wadabwa, Zicco Mkanda, Jacob Ngwira and Chiukepo Msowoya.

Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said both Wanderers and Escom had lost their games, however Fam chief executive officer Charles Nyirenda, has thrown his weight behind the clubs.