Chintheche United delivered a standout home performance to hand league leaders Mitundu Baptist a 3-1 defeat in the NBS Bank National Division League on Saturday.
The hosts were in commanding form from the start.
Manase Chilenga put Chintheche ahead in the 15th minute, and Jimmy Kalanje doubled their lead just before halftime in the 45th minute. Although Raheem Mtondera pulled one back for Baptist before the break, Njakwa Mkumbira’s 95th-minute strike sealed a well-deserved win for Chintheche.
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Chintheche Head Coach Isaac Kapyepye expressed his satisfaction with the victory. “It wasn’t a tough match as we expected from our opponents. We killed off the game in the first half as we got early goals, so also playing at home, we needed to win, of course,” Kapyepye stated.
Conversely, Baptist Team Manager Patrick Phiri attributed their loss to biased officiating. “We came to the North to play Baka City and now Chintheche, so today the referees have played their part again. If this continues, then the League will not be as interesting as we anticipated,” Phiri lamented.
The win elevates Chintheche United to third place on the log with 11 points from three wins, two draws, and one defeat. Mitundu Baptist remains at the top with 12 points from four wins and two defeats.
Chilumba Barracks denied first league victory
Meanwhile, Chilumba Barracks were on the cusp of securing their first-ever league win but squandered a two-goal halftime lead, settling for a 2-2 draw against Namitete Zitha.
Chilumba’s talisman, Matorino Clement, put his team ahead just two minutes into the game, with Mapopa Munthali adding a second in the 35th minute. However, Symon Chimenya pulled one back for Zitha in the 54th minute, and Alexander Cosmas broke the Soldiers’ hearts with an 82nd-minute equalizer, snatching a point for Zitha.
Nelson Chirwa, Head Coach for Chilumba Barracks, described the outcome as “very painful,” attributing it to his players’ lack of maturity. “Leading by two goals, they thought they had already won the game, but it happens in football. We need to correct our mistakes as we move forward,” Chirwa said.
Richard Fosiko of Zitha, however, placed blame on the officiating, arguing that his team should have won. “I don’t know if this is happening to other teams as well because the referees were making decisions which were against us, and also our third goal was clear, but they said it was offside, of which I don’t know where it came from,” Fosiko commented.
Namitete Zitha now sits fourth on the table with 11 points from three wins, two draws, and one loss in six matches. Chilumba Barracks are in ninth position with three points from three draws and three defeats in the league.
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