Former Orlando Pirates’ playmaker, Joseph Kamwendo, got his coaching career to a winning start in Malawi’s top-flight league on Tuesday August 8 2023 when his Bangwe All Stars edged Mighty Tigers 1-0.
Midfielder Robert Saizi, who was part of the Flames squad at the recent Cosafa Cup in South Africa, scored the only goal of the game in the 46th minute at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.
The rookies, Bangwe, jumped to sixth place on the 16-member TNM Super League log table with 20 points from 16 games, 12 points behind leaders Silver Strikers.
Kamwendo, 36, was named interim coach of Bangwe last week to replace Mabvuto Lungu who was demoted to be in charge of the reserve side last week.
The former Flames star Kamwendo was before his move to Bangwe coaching the youth side of childhood club, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers.
The former TP Mazembe star recently said his aim was to coach one of the biggest clubs in Africa.
“My aim is to coach one of the big teams I played for. In football, you can play at the highest level but you still need to learn every day. My focus now is to get the experience and knowledge for me to be able to coach one of the biggest teams,” he said.
After earning 104 caps and registering 12 goals for the country, Kamwendo bowed out during a testimonial match held on March 7 2020.
The send-off attracted former Bafana Bafana star Sibusiso Zuma and ex-Pirates skipper Lucky Lekgwathi at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Kamwendo’s career spanned two decades at Civo United, Wanderers (Malawi), Caps United (Zimbabwe), Pirates, Vasco da Gama (South Africa), Nordsjaelland (Denmark), Mazembe (DRC) and Liga Muculmana (Mozambique).
A regular of the Malawi squad that qualified for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Angola, the left-footed magician won league championships in Mozambique, DRC, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
He was the first foreigner to win that award in Zimbabwe.
He also collected personal accolades such as Best Goal Award for the Danish Super League 2006/7 and Zimbabwe Player of the Year 2005/6 (first foreigner to win that award).