Mkanda hat-trick wins top league
Zicco Mkanda, the stone that the Flames rejected, has become a corner-stone for Mozambique football giants Liga Desportivo De Maputo after scoring a hat-trick that turned them into Mozambique (Mocambola) league champions on Sunday.
Mkanda netted his second treble in a fortnight — in which he has scored seven goals — as De Maputo, formerly, Liga Maculmana, thrashed Ferroviaro de Pemba 5-0 to finish the 14-member league on unassailable 53 points, just one more than Ferroviaro de Nampula who finished second.
A translated version of Mozambican Portuguese language daily newspaper Noticias wrote on its website www.jornalnoticias.co.mz that Maculmama dominated the game to retain their title and their fourth in Maputo’s club history.
Being played as an out-and-out striker this season, instead of the wings, has contributed to Mkanda’s improved return of goals.
“If I can maintain my good form, I believe it will be my time to go and play in a more advanced league than Mozambique,” Mkanda told The Nation yesterday.
“Well done Zicco…feel you,” Flames captain Joseph Kamwendo congratulated Mkanda through Facebook whereas another Mozambique-based player Chimango Kayira of Costa do Sol said: “And you scored thrice again? Yooooh exquisite.”
Mkanda, who has five caps, last played for the Flames in the 1-4 loss to Zimbabwe’s Warriors in March at Kamuzu Stadium.
He also scored once last week and yet another hat-trick two weeks ago to take his tally to 11 goals, three behind leading scorer Maxaquene’s Isak Cavalho, who is Simplex Nthala’s teammate at Maxaquene, with 14 goals.
In other games involving Malawians, Nthala did not make the Maxaquene squad that drew 2-2 with Textil de Pungue on Sunday.
Mocambola league has 14 teams.
In Zimbabwe, Gerald Phiri Junior, Ishmael Thindwa and George Nyirenda all featured in Caps United 2-1 win to Triangle on Sunday in a Premier League match. Caps are third on the log table.
In Swaziland, Big Bullets’ on-loan striker Diverson Mlozi scored once and his second in Swaziland football career, as Maranti FC beat RSSC United on Saturday. South African Dumisani scored the other goal to take Maranti tally to seven goals in five games.
