NEWS | SPORTS

……………………..bend it like the veterans

By Chifundo Zingunde

Last weekend, Yours Truly found himself in the Terraces of Mzuzu Stadium to witness matters on the pitch between the city boys, Moyale Barracks Fc, and Mzuni FC. Of course, the Attacking Goalkeeper was back with his right hand man, Old Zaks.

My focus is not on who carried the day, for I’m pretty sure by now, you know what happened. Yours Truly’s interest was on the derby, rather the hype that used to characterize matches of such magnitude.

Some derbies ago, the euphoria that could hit the terraces from both sides was just so ecstatic! From the Lions of Kaning’ina’s side, you could see fully grown up ladies, likely to be better-halves for some of the men on the pitch singing the whole ninety minutes; motivating their side.

Mzuni FC was no different. The students could be seen carrying casket-lookalike structures with eulogies inscribed on it such as Rest in Peace Moyale Barracks Fc. These lads could hardly watch the match, as they too kept on singing, motivating their lads on the pitch to dictate matters.

Such used to be an everyday scenario whenever a Mzuzu derby was on the menu. But that was then. Now, Mzuzu derby is but just a name.

Literary the said derby is but a waste of your dime. The Terraces are empty, no sight of those usual vocal supporters. There is no hype! It’s just like any other match. So boring.

Such a sorry scenario kept Yours Truly, and Old Zaks debating. What could have triggered such a spectator apathy? After much deliberations, we arrived at the likely demotivating factors.

• The rivalry is all but gone. Numerous occasions whenever the soldiers are clashing with visiting teams, especially the three giants, Nyasa Big Bullets, Mighty Be Forward Wanderers, and Silver Strikers, military Tatas have been fetching the students so as to rally behind Moyale Barracks FC. Such a brotherly love has killed off the competition between these two sides. The derbies are now more like scripted warfare.  
• Overall Performance matters in the game of football: both Moyale and Mzuni are yet to meet consistency of winning four games in a row. Their positions on the log table (Moyale, 5,and Mzuni 9) is not worthy to coax one to watch them.  Unless both camps pulled up their soxes, numbers from the terraces will keep on nosediving at super-sonic speeds as is the case now.  

……………….age ain’t performance but a number

Last weekend was flourished with the performances of the two old heavy weights in the game; Fischer Kondowe and Esau Kanyenda. One would think they are in the twilight of their careers; however, the contrary appeared to have been true.   

Kondowe playing two games, and scoring a brace of Man-of-the-match awards is no mean feat. The Blue Mamba also appears to have re-discovered his scoring formula and it appears, if defenders will be sleeping, the Mamba is going to be very slippery.  

Hopefully, our youngsters are borrowing a leaf from these Veterans.

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In other news…..the FISD Challenge Cup is here again! Let it roll!!