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Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has suspended five players and four officials following the ugly scenes that marred all the four Fam Cup quarterfinal matches last weekend in Blantyre and Lilongwe.
The association has suspended Admarc Tigers coach Ibra Mwase and midfielder Abel Ligowe for five and two games respectively for what it described as violent conduct and unsporting behaviour.
The duo will therefore not be on duty Saturday afternoon when the revitalised Kau Kau boys engage Silver Strikers at Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo in a no-holds-barred replay.
Mwase was involved in a skirmish with Silver’s team manager Gibson Mkanda who has also been suspended for three months while Ligowe has been suspended for throwing water at the bankers’ midfielder Joseph Kachule.
However, Tigers’ technical advisor Robin Alufandika described the punishment as unfair.
“Why has the referee been left scot-free? It was the referee who was at the centre of the whole mess and yet no action has been taken against him. We find it very surprising and as long as punishments are not meted on refs, we’ll not get anywhere,” said Alufandika.
The Tigers official also said while they are worried with the suspension of their coach, they are not losing their sleep.
“We are ready for tomorrow’s showdown, we hope it will be incident-free and that the refs will take a firm line,” said Alufandika, adding that their prolific forward Rodrick Gonani who was injured during the fracas, has since resumed training and might be available for selection.
The Kau Kau boys also have potential match winners in Charles Ngosi, Andrew ‘Aluki’ Chikhosi, veteran and captain Rodrick Wazili, Sam Somozani, Saidi Msosa, Lumbani Munthali and Chisomo Ngowe.
Silver’s coach Alex Masanjala said Friday his charges are all set for the encounter.
Masanjala, a former Tigers mentor himself said: “It will be a very tough game but we’ll be on our toes from the word go.”
Silver will bank their hopes on Emmanuel ‘Eke’ Chipatala, Peter Mgangira, Kachule, Dick Malidadi, miracle worker Peter Wadabwa and Rodrick Douglas.
Meanwhile, Fam has also suspended Red Lions midfielder Frank Phiri and striker Malumbo Mkandawire for five games each for assaulting referee Leonard Kamoto and a spectator respectively after their game against MTL Wanderers which they lost 1-0. The soldiers have also been fined K20,000.
The association has further taken a hard line on Blue Eagles players Billy Kamulanje and Wisdom Munthali and team manager Allan Kachingwe for assaulting referee Hastings Ntuntha after their game against Big Bullets which they lost 1-0.
Kamulanje and Munthali have been suspended for three matches each while Kachingwe will miss five games. The cops have further been slapped with a K20,000 fine.
Fam has also fined Dwangwa United K40,000 for causing an abandonment of their game against Civo United which has since been awarded to the latter. It has also suspended two Dwangwa players Richard Chande and Jael Bolokola for two games for indiscipline.
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