Azam Tigers on Sunday registered their third successive Super League draw after being held to a 1-1 result by visiting Mzuni fc.
That result follows two back to back draws against Blantyre United and Dwangwa United respectively.
Both goals came through set pieces with Tigers’ Precious Phiri cancelling out Lazarus Nyemera’s strike for Mzuni.
Nyemera netted as early as the first minute of the match, curling in a superb free kick from just outside the 18 yard box, which Tigers goalkeeper William Thole could only admire.
That moment of magic was virtually the only realistic talking point of the first half as both keepers were hardly called to task thereafter.
Trailing 0 -1, the home side was the more aggressive and adventurous in the second half which saw them dominating everything but the scoreline.
It was therefore not a surprise to the sizeable crowd that witnessed the match at the Chilomoni stadium to see the Kau Kau boys restoring parity just 6 minutes into the half.
Phiri unleashed a rocket from a free kick, 25 yards out which benefited from some sloppy goalkeeping from Mzuni custodian Chimwemwe Kumkwawa.
Instead of punching the ball away Kumkwawa attempted to catch it at first go but it spilled through his hands into the net.
The goal invigorated Tigers who pinned the Green Intellectuals into their own half but couldn’t take their chances.
Chasimbiwe Kanyika should have put Tigers ahead on the hour mark, but he failed to control and tap the ball home inside the 6 yard box.
Few minutes later Kanyika got the better of defender Suzgo Mwakasinga but lost his footing with just the keeper to beat.
Phiri then fired over the cross bar with the goal at his mercy to sum up the frustration for Tigers on the day.
Both teams made changes as Tigers pulled out strikers Kanyika and Jones Kanyumba for Frazer Menyani and Luke Chima.
Mzuni replaced Lyton Kapunda, Henry Misinjo and Gift Kasambara with Steve Madimba, Steve Munthali and Frastone Chisi but the two sides could not afford anything better than sharing the spoils.
After the match, Tigers Technical director Robin Alufandika blamed the referee Shaibu Cassim for being incompetent.
“The referee cost us the game by awarding Mzuni a free kick which never was. That set piece eventually ended in the back of the net”
Mzuni coach Alex Ngwira admitted fatigue got the better of his boys after Saturday’s loss to Wizards fc.
“On Saturday we played on an artificial turf which my boys are not used to, so it drained lots of their energy. That’s why we struggled more especially in the second half”.
Despite faulting his keeper for gifting Tigers a goal, Ngwira was still satisfied with the point, collected from a possible 6.
The two sides went into the match level on 26 points but with Tigers sitting 8th thanks to their superior goal difference over Mzuni who are 9th.
The positioning has not changed but the teams have each added a point to take their respective tallies to 27 points each.
Tigers’ next game is a trip to Silver Strikers as Mzuni will be hosting Masters Security fc.
