Fixture congestion to hit hard Bullets, Wanderers

The two Blantyre based giants have had weeks without playing in the top flight after contributing more than four players each to the Malawi National Football Team.

Now, they will pay the price as if it was their fault not to play when other teams in the top flight were in action.

According to a fixture list released by Super League of Malawi (Sulom), the two teams will be forced to play more than four games each in seven days.

After their Presidential Cup showdown with Mafco FC on Saturday, Bullets will play another crucial game against Wizards FC on Sunday before travelling to Lilongwe where they are expected to play Kamuzu Barracks and Civo Service United on the weekend of 9th-10th July respectively.

If Bullets sail through to the finals of the Presidential Cup, they will not rest again as they will play in the cup final on 16th July, a week after playing four league games.

Their rivals Wanderers will have to play Max Bullets before hosting Azam Tigers 48 hours later.

Just like Bullets, Wanderers will play four games within a week and if they make it to the Presidential Cup final, a fifth fixture awaits them in less than a week.

Both teams have had their say on the fixture list, with Bullets’ Billy Tewesa pleading with the administrators to put on hold league games when the National team is playing games.

“We are now being forced to play more games within a week just because they are trying to cover the gap which was created because of the National team engagements.

“We have been pleading with the administrators to put on hold games if Malawi is having games but they don’t listen so it’s always difficult to play games while your friends have already played more games than you,” complained Tewesa.

Nomads General Secretary Mike Butao previously told this publication that games in hand do not count in football these days.

“Points matters most. It’s not on to have fewer games than your friends because it’s always difficult to catch them so if it’s possible, let Sulom postpone games when the National team is engaged somewhere else otherwise it’s unfair to us and Bullets,” said Butao some weeks ago,

On their part, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) through competitions Manager Gomezgani said it is almost impossible to put on hold league games when the National team is having games because the majority of local clubs have no sponsorships and they rely heavily on gate collections to pay their players.

Sulom, through General Secretary Williams Banda said it’s not possible to hold league matches when the National team is playing because Malawi has few match venues hence avoiding congestion by having games even when the National team is playing matches.