By Mabvuto Kambuwe & Williams Gondwa:
The suspension of TNM Super League matches for week 10 has drawn mixed reactions from clubs.
“The Super League of Malawi (Sulom) wishes to inform clubs and all stakeholders that there will be no league matches scheduled for week 10 due to the Fifa international break and national team engagements.
“Games shall resume immediately after this international break. An updated schedule will be communicated in due course,” Sulom says in a statement issued Tuesday.
The Fifa calendar runs from June 2 to 10.
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Initially, Sulom had arranged matches for Super League teams despite knowing about the Fifa international break.
In separate interviews Tuesday, some clubs said the postponement of league matches would have an impact on the domestic competitions’ calendar.
Karonga United General Secretary Ramsy Simwaka said he was surprised with Sulom’s decision.
“We did not expect it because the fixture indicated that league matches would be played despite it being the Fifa International break. This will affect teams in one way or the other,” Simwaka said.
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Karonga has only contributed striker Allen Chihana to the Flames squad, which will take part in this year’s Cosafa Cup.
Sulom rules and regulations state that teams should be exempted from domestic matches if they contribute more than three players to the Flames squad.
On his part, Creck Sporting Club Chairperson Muhamad Selemani said he had received the news with mixed feelings.
“This is how it is supposed to be during the Fifa international break. But this is a disturbance to our side. We had just picked form and we wanted to continue with the momentum,” Selemani said.
Civil General Secretary Edgar Chipalanjira said while Sulom had made the right decision, the situation could have been avoided.
“We could have avoided this situation by sending a developmental squad to the Cosafa Cup. This will take a toll on the clubs as the calendar will be affected as well,” Chipalanjira said.
Currently, some teams have played eight matches whereas others have just played five matches.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets lead the log table with 18 points from seven matches, two points above Mighty Wanderers, who have a match in hand.
Meanwhile, the Flames will leave this afternoon for this year’s Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup slated for tomorrow to June 15 in Mangung/ Bloemfontein, South Africa.
But Flames attacking midfielder Zebron Kalima has been ruled out of this year’s Cosafa Cup due to injury.
Apart from Kalima, Japan-based Washali Jaziya will not be part of this year’s tournament.
The two players, who were in the initial Flames squad for the tournament, are missing from the squad which Cosafa has released today.
Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Competition and Communication Director Gomezgani Zakazaka confirmed that Kalima has been dropped due to injury whereas Jaziya’s club requested that the youngster should be excused as he was still settling down in Japan.
Zakazaka said the team will train on Wednesday in South Africa before their match the following day.
The Flames will start their Group B campaign against Lesotho at Toyota Stadium tomorrow before facing Namibia at Petrus Molemela Stadium two days later.
They will wrap up the group stage campaign against defending champions Angola on June 10.
This year’s tournament will attract 14 teams, which have been divided into four groups.
Group winners will qualify for the semifinals.
