Wizards sink Airborne in playoffs

Peter Mponda’s Wizards FC today reduced Airborne Rangers’ chances of returning to the top flight league after beating the soldiers 2-1 in first Super League playoff match at Civo Stadium on Friday afternoon.

It was the soldiers who first rose to the occasion as they dominated possession in the first opening minutes of the first half. They attacked Wizards on several occasions but their strikers lacked the scoring composure in front of goal.

After 15 minutes, Mponda’s side started building some momentum as they started attacking the Airborne Rangers goal but the soldiers stood firm at the back.

In the 24th minute, Bernard Chimaimba gave the Chilomoni outfit the lead after he beat the Airborne Rangers goalkeeper.

After that goal, both Airborne Rangers started attacking the Wizards goal in numbers and set the intensity of the game to be higher but Peter Mponda’s boys defended well to deny the soldiers an equalising goal.

After a tense first half, the turning point came in the second half In the 61st minute when Airborne Rangers found their equalising goal through Stain Malata after the soldiers had exchanged excellent passes in the Wizards half.

Both Wizards and Airborne Rangers started showing some quality and excellent passing football as they were  in search for their a winning goal.

In the 19th minute of the second half, it was Patrick Phiri who punished the soldiers when he scored a beauty for Mponda’s side after he was well set inside the Airborne Rangers box and he made no mistake but to put Wizards 2-1 up.

After that goal, Airborne Rangers again started dominating possession but as Wizards defended well until the last whistle of the second half.

Speaking after the game, Mponda said he was happy that his boys have started the playoffs with a win but he admitted that they did not play their usual game.

Wizards will on Sunday take on Dedza Young Soccer at Civo stadium in the final playoff game while Airborne will tomorrow take on Dedza Young Soccer in their last playoff.

Meanwhile, Dedza Young Soccer have obtained a court injunction stopping the Super League of Malawi from continuing with  the 2016 playoffs.

The match Between Dedza and Airborne Rangers is in doubt as reports reaching this publication are showing that Dedza will not show up tomorrow for the game.
If Dedza will not indeed show up for the game against Airborne on Saturday, it will be to the advantage of Mponda’s side as they will earn promotion to the Super League.