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Lions ambush Moyale
By
Leonard Sharra - 19-08-2002 |
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Moyale 0
Lions 2
Death group leaders Red Lions defied the odds on Saturday at Mzuzu Stadium when they beat their own brothers Moyale Barracks to earn a place in the grand final of the K25 million BP Top 8 competition.
Total Big Bullets were taking on Lilongwe’s Silver Strikers at the latters stadium yesterday in the other semifinal clash as we went to press.
Two classic goals from veteran striker Franco Ndau ensured a successful operation for the Zomba-based soldiers in Mzuzu as the two top military sides fought a drab battle that did not live up to its billing as a semifinal of the most expensive competition on the land.
But the lack of explosives could not be attributed to the fact that it was an in-house affair.
Things had reached a stage where either of the brothers could not trust the other.
Unlike in the two teams’ previous meetings, the Lions decided to stay away from their colleagues’ base, Moyale Barracks and camped somewhere in Mzimba.
As if that was not enough, the Lions avoided the dressing room at half-time and chose to sit near the stadium’s main entrance.
Back onto the field of play, the Lions survived an early scare, when goalkeeper Harold Mulembo brilliantly saved a dangerous flying header from Sammy Mgwira following a cross from Mike Kumanga.
The Group B runners-up, were to pay for their rather casual approach, when Ndau volleyed home a 39th minute stunner that gave goalkeeper Gift Banda no chance.
The goal originated from a Halton Tiyimbenawo double-kick which was connected first time by Ndau.
Moyale’s hopes for an equaliser faded into thin air in the 84th minute as the far experienced Ndau headed another Tiyimbenawo cross into the far corner of the net.
That was the end of the road for Moyale, who will now meet yesterday’s losers in a third place battle.
To put the icing on the Lions’ cake, defender Lackson ‘Kabila’ Mtambo, who marked Moyale’s dangerman Victor Phiri out of the game, was named man of the match. He walked away with K10,000 from sponsors BP Malawi.
Accepting defeat after the game, Moyale’s coach James Liwonde described the loss as part of football.
“In football, one has to win and one lose. We just wish our colleagues all the best in the final because their victory is also our victory,” said Liwonde.
His counterpart Franco Ndawa said he was excited that his team had managed to reach the final of the richest trophy.
“Moyale play a hard tackling game and we decided to use one-two touches and we were first on the ball,” said Ndawa. |
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