Civil hold Bullets to barren draw: Malawi TNM Super League
Civil Sporting Saturday packed their defence solidly to hold attacking Nyasa Big Bullets to a barren draw in the second round of the TNM Super League played before capacity crowd at Civo stadium in Lilongwe.
Bullets should blame themselves for not making use of clear chance they had in the first half while Civil failed to put their act together to use home advantage to snatch a win.
The servants appear running out of steam as they are failing to create scoring chances they did in the first round through Righteous Banda, Raphael Phiri, Innocent Tanganyika and Fletcher Bandawe.
Bullets mantains the third spot with the draw have 35 points from 18 games while Civil are still sixth with 30 points from 19 games.
The first opening 15 minutes there was nothing home to write about until Bullets launched a meaningful attack that involved Nelson Kangunje and Fisher Kondowe, on the right flank who in turn sent a cross in which Mussa Manyenje headed it wide from close range with Civil keeper, Tione Tembo at his mercy.
Civil immediately responded on the Bullets’s on slot through Righteous Banda whose 20 metre flying volleyed nearly eluded Bullets goalie, Rabson Chiyenda.
Civil’s striker managed to past Bullets central defence of John Lanjesi and Emmanuel Zoya in the 25th minute his delivery was a weak shot into the palms of goalie, Chiyenda.
Nelson Kangunje nearly punished his former club for the second time in the season when his effort after receiving a floated ball by Yamikani Fodya, went wide at the edge of the penalty box.
The two teams call it equal at the interval and Bullets fans were left stunned as they kept standing on their toes itching for a goal.
In the 47 minute, overlapping Bullets right back, Bashir Maunde drove a ground from a rebound from a corner kick but his attempt at goal missed the up left with Civil keeper Tembo no near it.
Six minutes later, Kondowe volleyed the ball over after being through by Chimango Kayira when he got a back pass from Chiukepo Msowoya.
Civil could have broken the deadlock in the 57th minute, when Phiri’s powerful shot was saved by Chiyenda from a spitting distance.
Bullets mounted more pressure in search for a goal as they played five corner kicks with Civil none and saw Gomezgani Chirwa and Lawrence Chaziya stood firm.
Bullets brought in Muhammad Sulumba for Manyenje in order improve their attacking pattern while Civil responded by making double substitution they introduced Ignicious Makoloni and Ferguson Mtondo for Joseph Kachule and Isaac Msiska both substitutions had an impact though goals were not forthcoming.
” It unbelievable that Bullets has settled for a draw. This is not a fair result to us. We had more scoring chances than Civil,” Bullets diehard, Moyenda Phiri fumed.
He said it seems lucky was not our side otherwise we could have been talking a different story now.
“At least today we played a different ball game together unlike last weekend when we faced Mzuni we were not in form. Thanks that we have not been beaten by Bullets it could have been painful to us,” an Area 18 A resident and Civil’s supporter, Harry Mangani chipped in.
He noted that Civil is having problems of creating and scoring goals unlike what they used to do in the first round.
Bullets have an hurdle tomorrow as they face the defending Champions, Kamuzu Barracks at the same venue, Civo stadium.
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