MDF teams benefit from season suspension
The suspension of sports in the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic has proved to be a blessing in disguise for Malawi Defence Force (MDF) teams whose players are in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for a peacekeeping mission.
Some of the teams are Kamuzu Barracks (KB), Moyale Barracks, Red Lions and Mafco.
The four teams’ players have been away since September last year.
From the list, KB have nine, Moyale five while Lions and Mafco sent two each.
These players could have only played in the second round of the TNM Super League had the season kicked off on the scheduled March 21.
In an interview from DRC, KB left back Diof Simaone and Moyale goalkeeper Juma Chikwenga indicated that they would return on September 11.
Simaone said suspension of the season’s kick off will give him a chance to join his teammates for the new season.
“We were worried that we might not play football this season but now that the season is expected to start in August, we have counted ourselves in. We are not here to play football but whenever we have time, we go through the basics so that we do not lose touch,” Simaone said.
Chikwenga said he believes that he still has something to offer to his club despite the long absence from the game.
“The suspension is a blessing in disguise to some of us. We are now hopeful that we will be part of our respective teams for the new season,” he said.
KB assistant coach, Ted Kalinda, said they are relieved with news of the possible kick off of the 2020 season in August.
“Starting the season would not have been easy for us without our nine key players. We are now happy that we will not be without our players for the whole season. But there will be need for them to undergo specialised training because they are not playing football in the DRC,” Kalinda said.
Some of KB’s notable players in the DRC are Lemani Nthala, Gift M’bwana, Komani Msiska , Pempho Kansichiri, Simaone, Aaron Mikonje, Ben Hojani, and Pilirani Makupe while Moyale have Crispin Fukizi, Ntopijo Njewa and Juma Chikwenga.
