By Aubrey Sumbuleta BBC Sport, Blantyre

Phiri said the fans behaved badly

A pitch invasion by irate fans cast a dark shadow over a friendly international between Malawi and Zambia in Blantyre.

Anti-riot police used rubber bullets and tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd that invaded the pitch after Malawi lost 1-0 to the visitors.

Trouble began in the 88th minute of Saturday's match, after Malawi was given a free kick.

Striker Moses Chavula pounced on a rebound to score for Malawi but centre referee Everson Lwanja ruled the goal offside, after consulting with assistant referee Moffat Champiti.

With only six Malawian players on the pitch, play resumed and striker Sipho Mumbi scored the winner for Zambia.

Angered by the turn of events, fans threw stones and other objects onto the pitch.

This forced a stoppage of the match, as players from both sides huddled to the centre of the pitch, with the police providing protective cover.

After the police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at the rioting fans, Malawi FA president John Zingale went onto the pitch and demanded that they desist from using force.

But the armed police officers claimed they were acting in self-defence after a colleague had been injured by fans.

Zambian coach Patrick Phiri said the fans behaviour was uncalled for.

"There was no reason for the fans to over react like that. This is only a friendly international and Malawi are our neighbours," he said.

But Malawi manager Allan Gillet blamed the centre referee for the incident.

Gillet said the match should not have been restarted when his team only had six players on the pitch.