There were big wins for Khuda Myaba and Frank Mhango’s sides in the South African DSTV Premier Soccer League yesterday.
Mhango got himself on the score sheet as Moroka Swallows recorded a vital 2-0 victory over Stellenbosch at home while Khuda’s Richards Bay secured a rare result, winning 1-0 away at Orlando Pirates.
Nonetheless, the aspirations of the only two Malawian footballers in the PSL still hang in balance as The Dube Birds and The Natal Rich Boys still linger at the bottom of the league’s table.
With two games to play before the PSL season wraps up, Myaba’s Richards have accumulated 27 points only from 28 games and they sit in 15th position of the 16-team log-table.
Thanks to yesterday’s win, Mhango’s Swallows have just moved up into the 13th position, just a step above the relegation zone. From 28 games they have earned 32 points only.
In their last two matches, The Natal Rich Boys have to travel to Cape Town City before hosting Stellenbosch in their final match while The Dube Boys Birds, will have to visit Supersport United before welcoming Royal Amazulu to finish the campaign.
A stay in one of the best leagues on the African continent is not guaranteed for the two Malawian internationals. Their hopes and prayers now are for their sides to win the remaining two games while their fellow table-anchors slip.
For over thirty years, the Malawi national football team has heavily depended on the exposure provided by the South African league to propel its players to international opportunities.
In previous years, selecting players for the Flames posed a challenge for coaches due to the abundance of internationally-based Malawian players.
However, the current scenario is starkly different as the national team scours for Malawian talent abroad, hoping to bolster a squad low on options.
PSL may cease to become our option for player selection.
Gabadinho, Malawi’s top scorer, has now scored 2 goals in the last 3 games for Swallows to bring his goal tally to 6 this season. Should he keep the recent uptick in form in the remaining matches, Swallows may be braced for a stay in PSL.
“My confidence is back, and I aim to keep my team in the DSTV Premiership next season. Hopefully, I can maintain my scoring form,” Gabadinho stated after a recent goal against Chippa United.
On a six-month contract with The Rich Boys, Myaba has scored only once in eight appearances since his MK7 million-a-month deal began.
Football analyst Roy Mdechi praised Malawi’s head coach, Patrick Mabedi, for his ongoing efforts to scout Malawian talent in Europe to enhance the national team’s roster for the upcoming AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.
“Our performance has been subpar across the board due to a lack of depth and other factors. By integrating more foreign-based players with Malawian heritage, our national team stands to gain significantly,” noted Mdechi.
