Manyenje stars as Epac condem Silver to defeat
Epac FC, alias Njenjete on Monday undermined Silver Strikers’ chances of finishing the TNM Super League first round on top, when they clashed the bankers 3-1 in an entertaining match played before a good crowd at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe.
The loss means Silver’s chances of closing the first round on top are now handing by the thread and it will be just a matter of time before second placed Red Lions take over the driving seat.
At 27 points from 11 games, the soldiers trail Silver just by a single point and have a two-game cushion. Silver have a game against Mafco to finish the first round and can go up to 31 points if they win the game while Red Lions can wrap up the first round on 36 points if they win their remaining three assignments.
On the other hand, Epac have moved a step up in the bottom zone as they now occupy the 11th position with 13 points from 12 games.
The bankers are themselves to blame for not punishing their hosts, who lacked confidence and committed a lot of defensive blunders in the first half.
The league leaders only made use of one of the chances, when veteran striker Rodrick Gonani rounded off Epac goalkeeper Jailosi Kapalamula after dispossessing a defender of the ball.
Seconds before Gonani’s strike, Epac had a clear scoring opportunity when Silver goalkeeper Alex Makina fumbled a free kick by Thindwa free kick. But their captain Tsanzo Dalio took the rebound straight at Makina.
Thindwa pulled level for Epac on the dot of full time, when he rose high to head home a corner kick by Jafali Chande.
The goal rejuvenated Epac, who came into the last half a completely changed side. They outplayed the bankers in most departments and it was no surprise when teenage striker Mussa Manyenje the star of the show claimed the second goal after rounding off aging defender Benard Namangwiyo.
Manyenje, who was deservedly voted man-of-the-match and sealed the bankers’ fate five minutes to time after beating Makina from a tight angle.
“We could have won the game in the first half but we wasted a lot of scoring opportunities. Epac came a changed side in the second half and outplayed us in every department,” said Silver coach Thom Nkorongo after the final whistle.
His counterpart Abbas Makawa said he told his boys to attack the bankers, having observed the opponents were weak in their defence.
“This win is a happy Eid Mubarak to all Muslims,” said Makawa who is also a Mosque-going Moslem.
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