Gabadini brace earns Bullets win over Tigers
Big Bullets FC man of the moment Gabadini Mhango finally got off the mark as he steered his side to a 2-0 victory against a determined Azam Tigers FC side at Kamuzu Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The youthful Bullets forward, aka ‘Baloteli’, registered his name on the score sheet of the country’s elite league on a high note when he scored twice to pull himself out of the doldrums.
The diminutive striker’s arrival in the main league had met a prolonged goal drought despite hitting the net in almost every cup game where he is also likely to grab the 2012 Presidential Cup Golden Boot Award.
Bullets first goal came inside the first 25 minutes after Gabadini rounded two defenders before firing at the left corner of Tigers net to send his side’s followers into an ecstasy.
Gabadini extended his team’s lead with a second-half stunner after he lashed onto Fisher Kondowe’s pass to intelligently hit the ball passed the advancing Tigers goalkeeper.
Despite the two goals, Tigers were a better side of the day but unlucky to see the behind of the net that was jealously guarded by now Bullets number one goal goalie Owen Chaima, who also claimed the day’s TNM man of the match award.
Tigers’ Maxwell Mwanyongo undoubtedly angered his coach Leo Mpulula for giving Bullets the day after he failed to convert over four clear chances in front of the goal.
Post-match comments
After 90 minutes, talk-of-the-day Gabadini was one short of his promised three goals in the game but ensured that his side collected maximum points to jump from position 10 on the log table to five with 15 points.
“I am happy with the win though we did not play our usual game. Thumbs up to Gabadini, he actually promised me three goals today but two is not bad.
“We now have 15 points with four games to go in the first half and am sure we will win all of them and ensure that we finish the first round on a better position,” said Bullets coach Eddington Ng’onamo at the end of the game.
A fruitless weekend it was for Tigers after losing with the same margin to Blantyre United in the Standard Bank Cup qualifying round on Saturday but coach Mpulula remained upbeat that all was not lost.
“It’s embarrassing that we can play beautiful game but lose at the end of the day. But its part of the game I know what they [players] are doing, they just need a few things to grow a thick skin,” he said.
The coach who is strongly linked with a move to Mighty Wanderers FC said the team’s main problem was lack of finishing power and will be working on that to ensure that his players convert chances into goals.
“I am building a team and am happy with the play which is what I wanted. People will agree with me that it has taken long for Tigers to play such exciting type of football.
“What is lacking is finishing power and as a coach I know what to do… When you don’t have natural strikers you have to make them within the team,” said Mpulula who has also been appointed Under 17 national team’s deputy coach.
Gadadini was also on the score sheet on Saturday when his team booted outed Red Lions out of the Standard Bank FAM Cup with a 2-0 victory.
