BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Mighty Tigers on Wednesday afternoon braved a heavily waterlogged Mpira Stadium in Chiwembe to claim a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Kamuzu Barracks in a TNM Super League match marked by persistent rains.

Earlier in the day, the state of the pitch had raised concerns as officials were seen pushing away water from the drenched surface while match organisers installed commercial boards under rainfall.

Players from both teams were forced to delay warm-ups and remained in the dressing rooms as the situation gradually stabilised.

Despite the soggy conditions, the match kicked off as scheduled, with Tigers showing early intent.

By the 2nd minute, they had already won their first corner, and moments later Bakali Osman fired a powerful free-kick over the bar from just outside the penalty area but Kamuzu Barracks survived those early scares.

The visitors responded with their own corner in the 12th minute as rains continued pouring, though they struggled to capitalise.

Tigers eventually found the breakthrough in the 16th minute when Greyson Msowoya connected beautifully to a delivery from Masambiro Kalua, sliding the ball past goalkeeper Hastings Banda to make it 1–0.

From then, the match became a battle of determination.

Zeliet Nkhoma was a constant threat for KB, pushing relentlessly for an equaliser but the Tigers’ defence remained composed.

A dramatic moment came in the 43rd minute when KB’s goalkeeper handled the ball outside the box, giving Tigers a free-kick, while bench player Peter Mughogho received a yellow card for confronting the assistant referee.

In the second half, Tigers nearly doubled the lead in the 48th minute when Msowoya set up substitute Precious Kwalenga but KB keeper Hastings Banda reacted brilliantly to deny the effort.

KB made several substitutions to bolster their attacking power, but Tigers continued to look dangerous on the break while defending with discipline.

Both teams endured more stoppages as the soaked pitch made play difficult.

Tigers earned multiple corners but failed to convert, while KB’s hopes remained pinned on lone marksman Zeliet Nkhoma, whose efforts were repeatedly kept at bay by goalkeeper Lucky Tizoola and a resolute Tigers backline.

As the clock ticked towards full-time, both sides continued making tactical changes.

Tigers’ coach Trevor Kajawo introduced fresh legs to preserve the narrow lead, while KB sought one last push for an equaliser. After three added minutes, the referee blew the final whistle, confirming Tigers’ 1–0 triumph.

Speaking after the match, Tigers’ coach Trevor Kajawo expressed satisfaction, saying his players understood the importance of the fixture as they continue fighting to move away from the relegation zone.

On the other hand, Kamuzu Barracks’ coach Nicholas Mhango accepted defeat, saying one critical mistake cost them the match.

However, Mhango remained optimistic about their ambition to finish in the top eight.

Kamuzu Barracks remain 7th on the log with 35 points from 25 matches, while Mighty Tigers move to 26 points from the same number of games on position 12.

The Maravi Post