Tigers let two-goal lead slipping off their fingers, drop to 15th after defeat to Chitipa

Chitipa United produced an outstanding performance to avoid an upset at home after coming from two goals down to claim a 3-2 win in a thriller at Chitipa Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

The second half was a show for substitutes as Daniel Shadreck came off the bench to score twice and put Tigers on a two-goal lead before the hour mark, but then substitute Mally Kasongo pulled one back with his first touch before Zenga Manda, another substitute, levelled the scores and Kasongo completed the comeback with an outstanding goal.

The visitors had their first sight on goal in the 7th minute when Masambiro Kalua shot wide from a decent position before Trouble Kajani missed three golden chances that could have put the hosts ahead, and then Godfrey Kwiyoka replaced Daniel Boston in the 22nd minute.

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Kajani was replaced by Zenga Manda at halftime in Chitipa’s first change, while Mwai Banda and Alex Chaundwa made way for Matthews Sibale and Daniel Shadreck for Tigers. The latter made an instant impact with a goal after being set up by Grayson Msowoya in the 47th minute, before Joseph Mbaga failed to level matters with a one-on-one chance for the hosts.

Shadreck grabbed his second in the 57th minute after finishing from James Tambwali’s pass before Chitipa replaced Raphael Nkhoma with Mally Kasongo, who scored with his first touch from Nelson Sikaona’s long throw-in 61 minutes into the game. Tigers responded by introducing Wisdom Maulabo Jere for Tambwali.

Meanwhile, Chitipa tied the scores in the 74th minute after Manda finished off a pass from Sikaona, then Precious Kwalenga replaced Shukuran Affick for the visitors before Kasongo netted a stunning volley from Mbaga’s pass in the 80th minute. Late changes that saw Chembezi Chihoma replacing Mbaga for the hosts and Samuel Kondanani replacing Kalua for Tigers made no difference.

Kondwa Ikwanga’s decision to introduce Kasongo and Manda proved to be the masterstroke that turned the game around. Both substitutes brought fresh energy and clinical finishing that had been missing in Chitipa’s first-half performance.

Nelson Sikaona’s long throw-ins and passing range were instrumental in the comeback, with both Kasongo’s first goal and Manda’s equalizer coming from his deliveries. This exposed Tigers’ vulnerability to set-pieces and quick transitions.

For Tigers, their defensive collapse after establishing a 2-0 lead will be deeply concerning. Poor marking from set-pieces, lack of midfield protection, and passive defending in the final third allowed Chitipa back into the game. Kasongo’s winner—a volley that should have been closed down more aggressively—epitomized Tigers’ defensive fragility under pressure.

Trouble Kajani’s three first-half misses proved costly for Chitipa. Had the hosts established an early lead, the narrative would have been entirely different, prompting Ikwanga to substitute him at halftime for greater composure in front of goal.

Head coach for Chitipa United, Kondwa Ikwanga, hailed his substitutes for delivering in the game and sees great potential from the team once experience develops in the players.

“The changes are made to improve the game and I am happy that our tactics worked well because it was not simple—our friends played direct football, but after Kasongo came in, we controlled the game better. Yes, sometimes these are youngsters who need guidance and once they grow into the game, we will have a very good team,” said Ikwanga.

Meanwhile, Trevor Kajawa of Mighty Tigers said their defeat was painful because they did everything to win the game but failed to defend well.

“The journey is still on and we just have to focus on our remaining three games. It is possible to survive, but now we have put ourselves under pressure, so we will keep on fighting,” said Kajawa.

The win for the Basongo helped them break into the top eight as they rose to 7th in the league with 36 points from 9 wins, 9 draws and 9 defeats in their 27 games played in the campaign.

However, Mighty Tigers have dropped to 15th on the table following Mzuzu City Hammers’ win, as they have 26 points from 6 wins, 8 draws and 13 losses—four points below safety with just three games left to finish this year’s campaign. This defeat represents a devastating blow to their survival hopes, having surrendered a two-goal advantage when victory seemed assured.