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| Sports |
| Bakili Bullets shoot Cosmos apart,Bakili Bullets shoot Cosmos apart |
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by
Garry Chirwa,Garry Chirwa, 05 January 2004
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09:22:54
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Local football kings Bakili Bullets put on a titanic second half performance that left highly fancied South African crack side Jomo Cosmos quaking in their clogs with a 2-0 sweet victory at the giant Chichiri Stadium on a cloudless but extremely boiling Saturday afternoon.
The temperatures were really high but the fans stood up to the scorching conditions and turned up in their thousands to witness the Bullets slay one of South Africa’s soccer forces.
They came to feast their eyes on Cosmos’ big name stars like the Mozambican international duo Manuel ‘Tico-Tico’ Bacuane and exciting Toa Cuhna and their own Malawi internationals gangling striker Russell Mwafulirwa and midfielder Peter Mgangira.
But above all, the fans, most of them Bullets followers, came to see how the home team could fare against a revered side like Cosmos ahead of the Caf Champions League tournament. In the end, they were rewarded for their loyalty by a team that had its collective foot hard down on the accelerator.
Cosmos had a full house on show, from ‘Tico-Tico’ to Mwafulirwa, from Erec Sono to Sam Magalefa, from Cuhna to Innocent Ntsume—they were all there but the Bullets were simply in the mood.
However, Cosmos’ director and coach Jomo Sono failed to make the trip. The club’s locally-based representative Ben Chiwaya said the Cosmos boss could not travel because the plane was full and he had to pave way for the players.
The start was as electric as the vibes from the stands and the hosts took it upon themselves to set the tempo with a sweet passing rhythm with Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda, Robert ‘Baggio’ Ng’ambi, new signing Fundi Akidu, Emmanuel Chipatala and Grant Lungu running the show but there was a visible shortage of chronic firepower.
Mponda, who recently turned down an offer to play for another South African top league side Hellenic, was at the heart of the Bullets’ moves with a magnificent personal display which mocked all those who had reckoned his was a diminished footballing force.
On the other hand Cuhna and Sibusiso Zwane were also a marvel to watch.
Bullets came close twice in this half with Fischer ‘Anong’a’ Kondowe hitting the post in the very early stages while Ganizani ‘Njoka’ Malunga was blocked just in time by Cosmos’ keeper Avril Phadi later on.
At half time, Cosmos made eight substitutions and those that were taken off stage included ‘Tico-Tico,’ Mwafulirwa, Mgangira, Magalefa and Ntsume. Bullets also made some changes throwing in Jimmy Zakazaka, Rahim ‘Raul’ Ishmail and James Chilapondwa for Lungu, Akidu and Chipatala.
The move paid off for Bullets, who went on to take the lead in the 77th minute following a classic finish by Zakazaka. The goal sent almost the entire stadium into frenzy.
The goal came just after the visitors’ penalty was saved by Trust Lunda. The spot-kick was awarded by referee Hastings Ntuntha after Mponda had fouled a dangerously advancing Chuna who was a constant thorn in the Bullets’ rearguard.
The fans held their breaths as Sisa Nombe stepped up for the spot-kick which was brilliantly kept out by the Bullets’ ‘keeper to the relief of the fans.
After a string of missed chances on both ends, Bullets put the game beyond Cosmos’ reach in the 89th minute when Chilapondwa swung upfield to plant the ball beyond Phadi’s reach—it was all over.
As the visiting Cosmos headed for the dressing room, their smiling captain Tico-Tico could only say: “I think it was a good game, we had a couple of chances so had Bullets but the only difference was that our friends made good use of them.
“They are a good team with lots of potential and we wish them well in the Champions League,” summed up ‘Tico-Tico.’
Cosmos’ team manager Kwesi Masondo showered praise on Bullets’ Ng’ambi and echoed ‘Tico-Tico’s’ observation that they did not take their chances.
Cosmos left the stadium for Le Meridien Mount Soche peacefully whilst listening to one of South Africa’s top hit Sibongile.
On the other hand, Bullets mentor Kinna ‘Electric’ Phiri said: “The result is a very good boost in the countdown to our champions league first round encounters against Villa of Uganda. The boys played to instructions but there is still more that we have to do ahead of the continental tournament.”
Cosmos, who are eighth on the South African top league table, flew back to Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon.,
Local football kings Bakili Bullets put on a titanic second half performance that left highly fancied South African crack side Jomo Cosmos quaking in their clogs with a 2-0 sweet victory at the giant Chichiri Stadium on a cloudless but extremely boiling Saturday afternoon.
The temperatures were really high but the fans stood up to the scorching conditions and turned up in their thousands to witness the Bullets slay one of South Africa’s soccer forces.
They came to feast their eyes on Cosmos’ big name stars like the Mozambican international duo Manuel ‘Tico-Tico’ Bacuane and exciting Toa Cuhna and their own Malawi internationals gangling striker Russell Mwafulirwa and midfielder Peter Mgangira.
But above all, the fans, most of them Bullets followers, came to see how the home team could fare against a revered side like Cosmos ahead of the Caf Champions League tournament. In the end, they were rewarded for their loyalty by a team that had its collective foot hard down on the accelerator.
Cosmos had a full house on show, from ‘Tico-Tico’ to Mwafulirwa, from Erec Sono to Sam Magalefa, from Cuhna to Innocent Ntsume—they were all there but the Bullets were simply in the mood.
However, Cosmos’ director and coach Jomo Sono failed to make the trip. The club’s locally-based representative Ben Chiwaya said the Cosmos boss could not travel because the plane was full and he had to pave way for the players.
The start was as electric as the vibes from the stands and the hosts took it upon themselves to set the tempo with a sweet passing rhythm with Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda, Robert ‘Baggio’ Ng’ambi, new signing Fundi Akidu, Emmanuel Chipatala and Grant Lungu running the show but there was a visible shortage of chronic firepower.
Mponda, who recently turned down an offer to play for another South African top league side Hellenic, was at the heart of the Bullets’ moves with a magnificent personal display which mocked all those who had reckoned his was a diminished footballing force.
On the other hand Cuhna and Sibusiso Zwane were also a marvel to watch.
Bullets came close twice in this half with Fischer ‘Anong’a’ Kondowe hitting the post in the very early stages while Ganizani ‘Njoka’ Malunga was blocked just in time by Cosmos’ keeper Avril Phadi later on.
At half time, Cosmos made eight substitutions and those that were taken off stage included ‘Tico-Tico,’ Mwafulirwa, Mgangira, Magalefa and Ntsume. Bullets also made some changes throwing in Jimmy Zakazaka, Rahim ‘Raul’ Ishmail and James Chilapondwa for Lungu, Akidu and Chipatala.
The move paid off for Bullets, who went on to take the lead in the 77th minute following a classic finish by Zakazaka. The goal sent almost the entire stadium into frenzy.
The goal came just after the visitors’ penalty was saved by Trust Lunda. The spot-kick was awarded by referee Hastings Ntuntha after Mponda had fouled a dangerously advancing Chuna who was a constant thorn in the Bullets’ rearguard.
The fans held their breaths as Sisa Nombe stepped up for the spot-kick which was brilliantly kept out by the Bullets’ ‘keeper to the relief of the fans.
After a string of missed chances on both ends, Bullets put the game beyond Cosmos’ reach in the 89th minute when Chilapondwa swung upfield to plant the ball beyond Phadi’s reach—it was all over.
As the visiting Cosmos headed for the dressing room, their smiling captain Tico-Tico could only say: “I think it was a good game, we had a couple of chances so had Bullets but the only difference was that our friends made good use of them.
“They are a good team with lots of potential and we wish them well in the Champions League,” summed up ‘Tico-Tico.’
Cosmos’ team manager Kwesi Masondo showered praise on Bullets’ Ng’ambi and echoed ‘Tico-Tico’s’ observation that they did not take their chances.
Cosmos left the stadium for Le Meridien Mount Soche peacefully whilst listening to one of South Africa’s top hit Sibongile.
On the other hand, Bullets mentor Kinna ‘Electric’ Phiri said: “The result is a very good boost in the countdown to our champions league first round encounters against Villa of Uganda. The boys played to instructions but there is still more that we have to do ahead of the continental tournament.”
Cosmos, who are eighth on the South African top league table, flew back to Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon. |
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