Wanderers cash in. New week, new game, different competitions same Isaac Kaliati. The midfielder epitomizes the quality of Mighty Mukuru Wanderers, Bangwe All Stars embodies the shambles of a scuffling team.
Meke Mwase’s men made life tough for themselves until they relied on a penalty strike to parachute them to safety. The Nomads will carry a 1-goal advantage going into the second leg scheduled for 19 this month at Mpira Stadium but the struggling Bangwe will hope to build from their second-half performance.
What was the halftime talk for Trevor Kajawa after conceding from the spot? Maybe it was a question that lingered in the minds of the matchgoers, looking at the performance of the team in the second half. “We told them that we have nothing to lose, let’s go to attack,” said the coach for Bangwe in the post-match reactions.
Starting the game on the front foot, the Nomads dropped their intensity in the last half and the coach attributed the team’s performance to the FIFA international break. “We lost momentum a little bit due to the break that we had but praise should go to the boys for the victory,” said Meke Mwase.
Winning one game in their last 11 matches is a record that forced the management to change the technical panel as Trevor Kajawa took over the helm this month after the team announced the departure of Yasin Rodgers.
Since beating Mzuzu City Hammers 8-0 in August, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers have had struggles in scoring in their last four matches- 0-0 against Dedza Dynamos, 1-0 wins over Civil Service United and Kamuzu Barracks before another 1- 0 win over Bangwe on Sunday afternoon.
Mwase has been hardly making changes to his starting team, maintaining the bulk of his starting players with Cameroonian striker, Sama Tanjong Thierry holding up the main attacking position.
Though Trevor Kajawa opted for a double pivot of Wadada Msowoya and Nigerian, Ojomu Gbolahan but containing the pressure from Mighty Mukuru Wanderers’ versatile midfielders was a mountain to climb for Bangwe, they will have to wait for their first goal against the Nomads in all competitions.
Kajawa entrusted former Mighty Tigers and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets striker, Bright Bweke Munthali, Wanderers suffocated the visitors, routinely getting players around the ball. The decision to start with Bweke as the main striker didn’t pay any dividend and it was not surprising not to see him after the recess. Bangwe wanted to start brightly by using Richard Lapson on the right through the middle where Bweke was operating from. Their attacks landed in walls as Chaziya and Peter Cholopi epitomized the toughness of centre-halves.
It was a half of Nomads. They could have been 2-0, 3-0, 4-0 at the break but due to their profligacy, they were just 1-0 up at the recess. Sama Tanjong flashed his effort wide from close-range after seeing the initial attempt being thwarted by Ellias Missi.
Kajawa wanted his team to build from the back, but the boys couldn’t make it happen. Wanderers pressed. Singini lobbed the ball off Ojomu Gbolahan in midfield before setting up Sama Tanjong who beat Fanizo Mwansambo but his effort was too weak to trouble Missi.
Bangwe on the hoof, Wanderers kept on pressing. The first half flew by, the tempo high, some of the transitions dizzying. Kaliati’s rocket forced Missi to make a super save. Congested in the box, Bangwe conceded a controversial penalty. Kaliati coolly planted the ball past the keeper to give the Nomads a relief.
Kajawa couldn’t take his sit the whole game, he was eager to see his team ticking. Three changes were made just before the restart as James Msowoya, James Tambwali and Beston Jimu were all introduced for Sunganani Geoffrey, Ojumo Gbolahan and Bright Munthali.
James Msowoya, Felix Demakude all had efforts defended by Wanderers’ defenders inside 8 minutes into the second half. Bangwe’s decline is headlong. They finished 6th last season, this season they are off track. It wasn’t promising. Perhaps, they will use the home ground advantage, but they will need at least two goals without conceding, a tall order.
In a game dramatized by referees officiating without communication gadgets, there was miscommunication among the panel. Wanderers could have won another penalty in the second half, the referee decided to turn to deaf, Ellias Missi escaped from a possible red card for fouling Sama Tanjong, Chaziya escaped from a possible booking.
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers thought that Chaziya had extended the advantage after bundling home Stanley Sanudi’s inviting cross but it ruled out for offside. Francisco Madinga’s effort was cleared by Mwansambo just before it crossed the goal line.
