Mzuzu City Hammers staged a spirited comeback to defeat Mighty Tigers 2-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Mzuzu Stadium, claiming three crucial points in their battle to escape the relegation zone.
The visitors drew first blood through Mwayi Banda in the 27th minute, but the hosts fought back with determination. Isaac Msiska leveled the scores seven minutes later with a stunning free-kick before Alex Orotomal converted a second-half penalty to seal the victory.
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Hammers started brightly, with Hassan Luwembe’s free-kick flying wide before Chimwemwe Chunga forced a save from the Tigers goalkeeper. However, against the run of play, the visitors struck first. Mwayi Banda pounced on Greyson Msowoya’s missed effort to beat Hammers keeper Joseph Fulawo in the 27th minute.
The hosts refused to be discouraged and continued pressing for an equalizer. Their persistence paid off in the 34th minute when Isaac Msiska produced a moment of magic, curling home a beautiful free-kick after Orotomal was fouled just outside the penalty area.
The decisive moment came early in the second half when Tigers defender Kelvin Banda received his marching orders for a dangerous foul on a Hammers player inside the penalty area. Orotomal stepped up to convert the spot-kick, giving the hosts the lead seven minutes after the restart.
Despite late pressure from the visitors, Hammers held firm to secure all three points.
The victory, however, was not enough to lift Hammers out of the bottom three. They remain in the relegation zone with 15 points from 18 games. Tigers missed an opportunity to distance themselves from danger, sitting 14th with 16 points from the same number of matches.
Hammers will look to build on this momentum when they host in-form Civil Service United on Sunday, while Tigers face a tough test against Moyale Barracks at Mzuzu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Heading into the fixture, Hammers were riding a wave of confidence after a strong start to the second round. They kicked off with a convincing victory over first-round surprise package Ekhaya FC at Kamuzu Stadium before salvaging a late draw against Blue Eagles in Rumphi, where they played after Mzuzu Stadium was deemed ineligible to host elite games.
Tigers, meanwhile, arrived desperate for resurrection after a dismal run of form featuring three defeats and three draws. This defeat extends their winless streak to seven matches, with four losses in that period.
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