Malawian midfielder star for Sudanese club in Champions League
Flames midfielder Gerald Phiri Junior on Friday starred for Al Hilal Omdurman SC against Mamelodi Sundowns on his CAF Champions league debut.
The game ended 1-0 in favour of the DSTV Premier league side and the 2016 Champions League champions as the Malawian, who was in the starting line-up, had a grand game for the Sudanese team.
Reads a Kickoff.com report: “Mamelodi Sundowns made a winning start to their CAF Champions League campaign in Group A with a 1-0 victory over Al-Hilal Omdurman on Friday evening.
“The South Africans handed starts to goalkeeper Denis Onyango, Khuliso Mudau, Lyle Lakay, Gaston Sirino and Pavol Safranko, with former Baroka FC player Gerald Phiri Junior featuring for Hilal.”
After a passive start, Sundowns went ahead on eight minutes when Themba Zwane picked up a loose pass around the area to slot in from close-range.
Hilal wanted to eagerly get back in the contest and saw a high-pressing mechanism as a route to opening up the South African champions but there was no light at the end of the tunnel.
As an opportunity came for former Cape Town City man Abdul Jeleel Ajagun midway through the first half, Sundowns had to remove Sirino following a nose injury and in came Thapelo Morena.
The introduction was nearly what the doctor ordered when Morena dodged the defensive line to race clear from Zwane’s through pass only to be met by Mohamed Ahmed Saeed’s last-ditch challenge.
Masandawana were not able to double their lead minutes following halftime after Safranko headed a floating ball from Lakay’s free-kick beyond target.
It urged the former SuperSport United and City man to take matters in his own hands towards the last 30 minutes when his powerful drive from a free-kick worked their opposite number.
CAPTION: Phiri Jnr captured in action for his Sudanese team
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