A swashbuckling hat-trick from Gabadinho Mhango inspired Big Bullets to ease into the quarter-finals of the K20 million Standard Bank Knock-out Cup on Saturday when they thrashed Blantyre United 4-1 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
It was only fitting that the People’s Team moved forward and claimed the final slot in the quarter-finals after their fans overwhelmingly voted their participation in the showcase with over 4 000 votes.
The win once again torched wild celebrations in the red side of town as Bullets remarkable resurgence continued.
The Peoples Team’s player-of-the-moment Gabadinho was once again full of swag and the toast of the afternoon when he teased and tormented United without hardly breaking sweat to the delight of the huge turnout.
He scored the first two goals for Bullets before Dalitso Sailesi pulled one back for just before half time.
Then Diverson Mlozi added the third with a spectacular flying header before the wonderboy Gabadinho closed the score sheet with a simple header to continue their spirited resurgence.
Gabadinho’s name rolled off the tongues of the Bullets faithful so sweetly.
After the match, the Bullets fans broke into their now familiar chant: “Siine koma Gabadinho!â€
United coach Elia Kananji attributed the loss to overconfidence on the part of his charges.
“I think just because we have had a good run again Bullets, we thought it was going to be easy, but we forgot that they [Bullets] are now a much improved side,†said Kananji.
His Bullets counterpart, Eddie Ng’onamo, was all smiles saying: “I told the guys to start at full throttle and score an early goal so as to unsettle the opponents and it worked.â€
Bullets will now meet Epac in the quater-finals.
Prior to the preliminary final match between Big Bullets and Blantyre United yesterday at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, Standard Bank added to the fun by lining up several exciting activities that included giving out branded golf shirts, T-shirts and water bottles.
That was not all. The bank also storm townships in the City of Blantyre with its accounts activating team and people were be able to open accounts.
