Calisto Kalinda back at Mafco FC
Mafco FC prolific striker, Calisto Kalinda, returned to action last Saturday after a season’s absence due to military assignments in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kalinda is among a contingent of the Salima-based soldiers’ players who are back with the team after being deployed in the war-torn country for peacekeeping exercises.
But the 2015 TNM Super League second top goal scorer had a match to forget as he was stretchered off the pitch in the 12th minute due to a hamstring injury in a 1-1 draw against Dwangwa United at Chitowe in Dwangwa on Saturday.
Mafco coach Temwa Msuku said the players’ return is a major boost to his league and cup campaigns.
“We were improvising in most of the positions as we had a depleted squad. So their coming is great news to us. We will now have a deep squad which will give us plenty of options.
“The development also means that there will be stiff competition for positions among the players and the result will be improved performance,” Msuku said.
The soldiers were the first to score on Saturday and they gave away a Kingsley Nkhonjera 37th minute lead to share a point each with their fellow lakeshore side, Dwangwa United, who scored through Josephat Kwalira.
Mafco are seventh on the log table with 11 points from seven games, just a point behind leaders Red Lions.
They have been struggling to score goals as their goal difference remains at -2, having conceded 10 goals and scoring eight.
The soldiers were among the five teams that staged a tense fight for the league title towards the end of last season.
It is yet to be seen if at all the return of Kalinda and other players will help the team improve its standing on the log table.
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