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Fungai Muderere in Blantyre, Malawi
Chicken Inn 1 – 1 De Nampula

CHICKEN Inn spiced up Malawi Marty’s Day heroes celebrations with catchy free-flowing display in their last game of the Nyasa Big Four Bonanza invitational tournament, sharing spoils with Clube Ferroviário De Nampula of Mozambique at Kamuzu Stadium yesterday.

Martys’ Day is celebrated on every March 3, in honour of political heroes who gave their lives in Malawi’s struggle against British colonialism.

This year’s Martys’ Day was on Sunday and yesterday was a holiday in Malawi.

The Gamecocks, who enjoyed massive support from Malawian nationals and Zimbabweans based here, scored through veteran forward Obadiah Tarumbwa three minutes into the second stanza.

Tarumbwa tapped the ball home from close range after towering De Nampula goalkeeper Gervasio Gossa had punched a Simon Munawa header back into play.

After the Guide Goddard-marshalled Chicken Inn defence had done well to contain Belito Antonio led De Nampula strike force, the Mozambique side found the equaliser in the 69th minute from a Roi Milambo header that beat a diving Donovan Bernard all systems out.

It was a match in which the Gamecocks players who included Munawa, unheralded Nyasha Gurende, Xolani Ndlovu, Ben Nyahunzwi, new signings Tichaona Chipunza, Sipho Ndlovu, Panashe Mutasa, Nicole Mutatiwa, Passmore Bernard and Marlvin Gaki showed some flashes of brilliance only to be found wanting on the final third, where the chief culprit was King Nasama.

Defender Moses Jackson, Clive Augusto, injured Bret Amidu and goal minder Samuel Mafukidze sat out on the terraces as the technical team chose to give other players a run.

“We played three games in this tournament and we only managed to get a point. It was a good experience and we learnt some hard lessons after playing some good entertaining football. We will take our lessons back home where we will thoroughly work on our finishing,” said Chicken Inn head coach, Joey Antipas.

His opposite number, Mateus Manjate, reckoned Gamecocks are a tough team.

“In this tournament we learnt a lot. We learnt two types of football. Chicken Inn are a tough side that is very good both in the air and with passing football. We met some difficulties in playing against them because at times they are very fast,” said Manjate.

In the final match of the tournament, Nyasa Big Bullets came from behind to force a 1-1 draw against Be Forward Wanderers in an exciting Blantyre derby.

Meanwhile, the 40-member Chicken Inn delegation that includes their number one supporter McCloud “Mgijimi” Moyo makes the road trip back to Bulawayo via Mozambique today.

— @FungaiMuderere