Eagles settle for draw with Civil: Malawi TNM Super League
Civil Sporting and Blue Eagles Saturday shared the the spoils in a thrilling 3-3 encounter played at Civo stadium in Lilongwe.
Blue Eagle’s marksman, Mphatso Philemon claimed his first hat trick of the season and scored the fastest goal within 43 seconds after kick off.
The two teams observed a minute of silence at the start of the second half after sad news came through midway in the first half of the demise of former Civil Vice captain and Assistant Coach for the reserve side, Noel “Amfumu” Mkandawire.
Civil have eight points from eight games while Eagles have 12 points from same number of games played.
The Visitors went into lead barely 43 seconds from kick off from a resultant free kick taken by Phillip Masiye. His effort hit the cross bar and the ball bounced back into play before Philemon tapped in the loose ball into the net.
Civil levelled the scores through Raphael Phiri when he headed home a long throw taken by Willard Dickson beating Eagle’s keeper, John Soko in the 20th minute.
Five minutes later, Civil’s goalminder, Victor Banda fumbled Gilbert Chirwa’s shot before Philemon hammered home to make it 1-2.
Eagle’s celebration was short lived three minutes later, when Civil’s striker, Fletcher Bandawe leveled the scores after connecting home a pass from Phiri.
Eight minutes to break Bandawe could have put the Servants into the lead but his header from Dickson’s cross went over the bar at the mercy of of Soko.
Civil went into lead at the dot of half time when Rightious Banda connected loose ball after keeper Soko had parried Phiri’s attempt at goal to make it 3-2.
The two teams went to break with Civil leading 3-2.
The second half saw Eagles making double substitution they brought in Semu Banda and Vitumbiko Kumwenda for Chisomo Chilasa and Wonderful German respectively.
The half the two teams resorted to a different type of play which was characterised by wild kicking and high balls.
Civil’s Captain Banda had his weak shot saved by Soko after he got a pass from Phiri in the 53rd minute.
With 12 minutes to full time, Eagle’s star and man of the match, Philemon outpaced two Civil’s central defenders, Lawrence Chaziya and Gomezgani Chirwa before hovering the ball into the net beating Banda to make it 3-3.
Civil brought in Innocent Tanganyika for Joseph Kachule in the 84 minute to snatch a win but it did not materialise.
Civil could have got the winner in added time when Dickson’s curved effort was acrobatically saved by Soko to save the day.
” It was a tough but am managed to force a draw. Otherwise we need to up our game,” Audrow Makonyola said.
He pointed out that his team is now coming up and there need to avoid put unnecessary pressure to the players and technical panel.
Civils Assistant Coach Oscar Kaunda observed the news of Mkandawire’s demise affected his player particularly in the second half, they did not play their usual game.
” Am happy we have managed a draw to a equally good side. The positive thing about the game we managed to score goals today. However our defence let us down and we need to rectify this problem,” he pointed out.
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