Africa-Press – Malawi. Mighty Mukuru Wanderers kept their title hopes alive and continued to apply pressure on league leaders, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, with a superb 3-0 win over Bangwe All Stars to move level on points in the standings.
The Nomads needed all the points in order to close pace with Bullets, and they did so in style with a highly spirited performance that saw them pressing from all angles in search of the much needed goals.
The Lali Lubani boys got off to a flyer as Francisco Madinga, Gaddie Chirwa, Stanley Sanudi, and Isaac Kaliyati launched some series of counterattacks, but Christopher Kumwembe wasn’t clinical enough in the final third.
Within the space period of ten minutes, Wanderers created more goal scoring chances against an opposition that struggled to contain the pace. Madinga thought he had put his side in the lead, but his freekick was ruled out for offside as Kumwembe was judged to have interfered with the play.
The attacking midfielder was at it again as his shot from another set piece hit the upright and from the rebound fired wide. The pressure was too much for the rookies to handle and conceded a goal from a cornerkick that was connected into the net by Peter Cholopi, 0-1.
Bangwe’s only realistic chance fell to Emmanuel Saviel, who forced William Thole to make a save, which was easily defended by Lawrence Chaziya. In the last five minutes, Kumwembe missed lots of scoring chances to go on break with a 1-0 score margin.
In the second half, Friday Osagie was introduced for Kondwani Chilembwe to try to improve their play as they played second fiddle to the Nomads in the entire first half.
The hosts slowly started to play their usual passing game, but lack of finishing composure saw them losing the ball to the opposition in the offensive zone.
The Nomads kept on pressing for more goals, with Kumwembe missing chance after chance until he finally made amends with a powerful header in the 67th minute after connecting well a cross from Kaliyati.
Bangwe, in the entire second half, never tested Thole. Instead, two efforts from two set pieces went over the crossbar, signifying a bad day in the office for Abel Mkandawire’s charges.
Both teams made changes, with Chiukepo Msowoya, Mphatso Kamanga, and Vitumbiko Kumwenda all coming in for Kumwembe, ChirwaMadinga while Phillip ChavulaAusumani Julius replaced Chikumbutso Salima and Innocent Msowoya.
However, it was Wisdom Mpinganjira who sealed the win with an excellent goal inside the additional minutes when he released a thunderous shot that was just too much for Ellias Missi to handle.
The win sees Wanderers sitting in the second position with 53 points, level with Bullets, but they have played three more games than their rivals. The win is also a molare booster ahead of the Blantyre Derby which is a must for the Nomads to win in order to keep pushing Bullets till the final weeks of the league.
As for Bangwe, the defeat leaves them in 7th position with 35 points from 27 games. At Karonga Stadium, Karonga United and Silver Strikers played out to a disappointing goalless draw.
The result means Karonga United have maintained their 6th position with 37 points from 26 games while the Central Bankers’ title hopes are slowly fading as they are now six points behind Bullets and Wanderers from 26 games.
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