Moyale tame Red Lions to wraps up first round with victory: Malawi TNM Super League
A maximum of three points went into the bag of Moyale Barracks FC as they finished their TNM Super League first round assignments beating fellow soldiers, Red Lions, by a goal to nil at Mzuzu Stadium on Saturday.
Three minutes into the game, Red Lions beat an off side trap by Moyale Barracks allowing Lot Chawinga to face goalkeeper Juma Chikwenga alone but his poorly calculated shot was blocked by the keeper.
Red Lions resorted to playing a very physical game thereby conceding more free kicks in their own half.
Out of the many free kicks that Moyale Barracks were awarded in the first half, two were craftily taken; one by Khuda Muyaba in the 9th minute and another by Mtopijo Njewa two minutes later but both shots were pushed over the cross bar by goalkeeper Clement Mlomba for Red Lions.
The Lions created a few scoring opportunities in the first half but their striking force of Mc Peter Makwale, Lot Chawinga and Moses Namkumba seemed to be blunt in front of goal. The scoreboard read 0-0 at half time.
The two teams came into the second half well composed but still failed to display a clear passing game.
The moment of joy for Moyale Barracks came in the 61st minute when man of the match Gastin Simkonda flicked the ball with a scissors kick into the six metre box letting substitute Lloyd Njaliwa to score Moyale’s only goal with a very easy tap with his right foot.
Red Lions players went wild surrounding referee Newton Nyirenda like ants on a cake claiming Njaliwa had handled the ball before directing it to kiss the net.
Serious and deadly attacks by both teams followed throughout the remaining minutes of the game but no extra goal was registered by either team.
“The players of both teams were respecting and fearing each other in the first half. I’m glad we piled more pressure on them in the second half and got our vital goal. I’m happy to wrap up the first round with 28 points. Our focus will now be in the Carlsberg Cup but we hope to bounce back with vigour in the second round to contend for the title,” explained coach Collins Nkuna for Moyale after the game.
Red Lions coach Prichard Mwansa told Nyasa Times that his team played against thirteen men including the referee and his first assistant. He stressed that the ball was clearly handled before it was kicked into the net.
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