Eagles end Lions’ unbeaten run
Blue Eagles bounced back from successive defeats to end Red Lions’ 11-game unbeaten run in the TNM Super League with a resounding 3-0 victory on Sunday in Balaka.
The Derklerk Msakakuona’s side condemned the Lions to a first league defeat through goals from Elia Kabingu, Ben Hojani and Charles Ngosi.
The Zomba-based soldiers were left to regret numerous missed opportunities by Boniface Kaulesi, Kelvin Katema and Daniel Katunga. They came close to taking the lead in the 20th minute, Katema shot wide.
Collins Nkuna’s team again threatened a minute later, when Kaulesi outpaced Eagles defence only to blast over the bar. In the 27th minute, Katema set Benjamin Kalua, who shot wide.
From then on, Eagles were threatening from both wings where Kabingu and Liston Sabuli were operating. Kabingu had Eagles’ first chance, which he duly converted, after 40 minutes when Ngosi turned sharply to create the opening.
The Eagles would have extended the lead a minute before the interval when in a goal-mouth scramble, Lions’ goalkeeper Brighton Ngwenyama was forced into an instinctive save.
Red Lions played second-fiddle for the rest of the second-half. Mishiam Mhone, Patrick Masanjala and captain Ken Mponda suffocated the soldiers’ attack in the middle of the pack.
Seven minutes after restart, Hojani connected home Ngosi’s cross with a superb header. The Reds could have reduced arrears in the 56th minute, when Katunga’s thunderous shot hit the post and rebounded to Kalua whose shot was saved by Duncan Mkandawire.
Mkandawire pulled another save at the 63rd minute when he parried away Kaulesi’s glancing header. With 13 minutes remaining, Ngosi sealed the win when he steered the ball past Ngwenyama after racing onto a low cross from substitute Wongani Ngulube.
Nkuna conceded that his team was outplayed. “We did not play well. We were too complacent with the unbeaten record and this cost us the gameâ€.
Msakakuona said his charges played according to instructions and he was happy that they spoiled Lions’ clean sheet.
