BBC SPORT | Football | Africa | Malawi shake England



By Aubrey Sumbuleta BBC Sport Online in Manchester

The Malawi national football team continued their tour of England with a 3-2 friendly victory over club side Altrincham.

Malawi win warm-up

Hundreds of Malawians resident in the United Kingdom came to cheer their side during a thrilling match.

The Flames led the match as early as a minute into the first half when their Botswana-based professional Steven Bakali headed in a rebound.

Despite going a goal down so early, the Altrincham players took the game seriously and were soon trying to force their way back into match.

But soon after the resumption of the second half, former Jomo Cosmos hero Jones Nkhwazi banged in another goal through a header.

Altrincham could not let the visitors embarrass them in their own backyard, however.

They made some inroads into The Flames half and got a penalty after towering defender Clement Kafwafwa fouled an Altrinchan player in the box.

The Malawi squad have taken to wearing England tracksuits
A penalty was well converted to make it 2-1.

Then in the last quarter of the match, Altrincham scored a spectacular effort to seemingly clinch a dramatic draw.

But then in the dying minutes Flames captain Sherry Msuku shot from far out to score a winner.

Soon after the end of the match, hundreds of Malawians - most of them students in the United Kingdom - poured on to the pitch chanting and singings songs praising their team.

Showing their appreciation for The Flames' performance, they game the players gifts and appealed to the team to beat Zambia in order to qualify for the final of the Cosafa Cup.


	Links to more Africa stories