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The sweltering heat in the Lower Shire couldn’t stop Admarc Tigers, popularly known as Kau Kau, from turning on a five star display that authoritatively swept them into the semi finals of the Fam Cup after seeing off Silver Strikers 2-0 at Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo on Saturday.
It felt so good to be at the mini stadium on an afternoon when talent was displayed for those assembled to savour—feints, dribbles and swerves were all on show.
This time there were no skirmishes and missile throwing that marred last weekend’s clash which ended in a two-all draw at Silver Stadium in the capital. The fans enjoyed the action from start to finish while continuously wiping their sweaty faces in the boiling conditions.
The Kau-Kau boys may not be the rip-roaring, flair-filled side but style is what they have been about this season and, it was there in abundance.
Forget that their suspended coach Ibra Mwase watched the action from afar, the Tigers simply had too much nous for the bankers.
Two corner kicks in under a minute and a further two attempts at goal by pint-sized midfielder Saidi Msosa inside the first 10 minutes, whet appetites for a possible feast.
Chisomo Ngowe drew first blood from the spot-kick on the quarter hour when Msosa was fouled in the danger zone. While there was certainly contact, perhaps the Tigers midfielder fell too theatrically to win the spot-kick.
Ngowe made no mistake, beating Silver’s Under-20 international goal tender Bright Nyirongo with a low shot.
In all fairness, the bankers who are plastered with talent, looked a pale shadow of the side that nearly put the Tigers in the shade last weekend.
Tigers were in the mood with Msosa, Ngowe, Lumbani Munthali, captain Rodrick Wazili turning on the heat at the heart of the pitch while deadly duo Rodrick Gonani and Charles Ngosi pulled the strings up front.
However, Silver tried to reorganise themselves after the half time pep talk but Tigers showed heroic resistance to leave them in a mist of utter frustration.
They started to weave their own pretty patterns with Peter Mgangira, Emmanuel ‘Eke’ Chipatala and wonder boy Peter Wadabwa giving out their best but their efforts were all thwarted.
Ngosi then put the game beyond the bankers reach in the 11th minute with a classic finish following a rebound from a well curled corner kick. It was the end of the road for the bankers. To forget the misery, the bankers went out for a whirl at Sunset Plaza where there was a lively Sprite DJ competition.
Tigers technical advisor Robin Alufandika and team manager Sammy ‘Onyangu’ Ngwira were visibly on cloud nine after the final whistle.
The charismatic Alufandika boasted after the game: “Its been ages since we last won a trophy, you are yet to see the best of Kau Kau, we have resurrected and we are looking beyond the semifinal.”
Asked on the prospects of lining up against Bullets, Alufandika said: “No reason to raise the alarm, they are just like any other team.”
Tigers coach Alex Masanjala conceded defeat: “We have been beaten by a better side...our striking force was blunt.”
Kau Kau will now line up against Big Bullets on Sunday at the Kamuzu Stadium while MTL Wanderers will face Civo United at the same venue on Saturday.
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