EPAC whack Red Lions 3-0: Malawi TNM Super League
Epac Football Club on Saturday wallopped Zomba based soldiers side Red Lions to secure an impressive 3-0 in a less fancied match played at Silver Stadium in front of a sizeable crowd.
From the word go Epac looked a more offensive side comparing to their opponents who struggled to get rhythm despite featuring experienced players like Flames international midfielder Dave Banda and veteran midfielder and current club captain who was featured in defence Prichard Mwasa.
The home team dominated the game almost the entire first half which had little scoring opportunities from both side.
In the 19th minute, former Blue Eagles and Flames star Loti Chawinga nearly gave the visitors the lead but his 25 metre thunderbolt was tipped over the cross bar by the eversteady Epac youthful custodian Jailosi Kapalamula.
This happened a minute after Epac striker Pilirani Yasin missed a good scoring opportunity after shooting the ball straight into Red Lions keeper Clement Mulumba while he was completely unmarked.
With massive support from their supporters, the home team finally took the lead in the 32nd minute through Samuel Gunda’s briliant freekick taken from outside the Lions penalty box.
Second half
Red Lions looked a rejuvinated side in the second half and started piling pressure on Epac.
Five minutes into the second half Kumbukani Mwambene failed to level the scores when he blasted the ball over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Red Lions coach Collins Nkuna brought in Dickson Mbetewa Jnr and Patrick Nazombe to put an extra gear substituting Steven Ziba and Bonface Kaulesi who was completely marked through out the minutes he spent in the field.
The soldiers suffered a huge blow when their midfielder Gibson Nkhonjera was red carded in the 56th minute when he deliberately brought down Musa Manyenje who was about to release a killer punch at the edge of the box infront of the goal mouth.
Epac also made substitutions introducing Winster Phiri and Darlington Chinthala replacing Elias Phiri and Jafali Chande respectively.
Poor defending and cordination between the keeper and the defence by Red Lions resulted into the second goal.
Pilirani Yasin was left alone to score from close range after receiving a hard and low cross from the right flank.
Red Lions was forced to make a third substitution in the 81st minute following the injury of striker Lot Chawinga who collided with Epac keeper Kapalamula in an aerial combat. He was immediately rushed to hospital.
A second red card was flashed to Red Lions player Patrick Nazombe for a dangerous open studs foul on Pilirani Yasin who was stretched off.
In the last minute of the game, substitute Winister Phiri played a superb freekick which beautifully landed on the foot of Gunda who without any mistake knocked the ball into the net to seal his team’s victory and earn three points.
Post match interviews
Epac coach Abbas Makawa was delighted with the perfomance of his players, saying it was a well deserved victory.
“We fully deserved the victory,” Makawa said.
His counterpart Nkuna accepted the defeat.
“When things dont work I always accept; our colleagues played well and i can accept the defeat” said Nkuna.
But he blamed the referee Leo Ngoleka for the two red cards he handed to Lions players.
“It was embarrasing to see the referee giving out straight red cards without cautioning my players with yellow cards,” said dejected Nkuna.
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