Wadabwa’s wonders

Striker Peter Wadabwa’s name is fast becoming a national anthem at Be Forward Wanderers and there is a good reason for that.

Though tactical discipline and team spirit yesterday gave the Nomads an upper hand as they snuffed out any resistance from Kamuzu Barracks (KB) in a 2-0 victory in Carlsberg Cup round of 16, Wadabwa’s name was what the blue side of town supporters chanted at the end of the match at Kamuzu Stadium.

The loss was the soldiers’ second defeat to the Nomads in 10 days having also been on the receiving end when the two sides met in the TNM Super League.

Just like in the last match, Wadabwa, who scored a brace in that match, was also the toast of the day.

He provided the assist for the first goal scored by Jimmy Zakazaka and doubled the lead in the 89th minute.

The Lilongwe-based soldiers were disorganised in all departments. They kicked the ball in any direction that suited the foot.

They could not keep their eyes on the ball and once they lost possession, they hobbled around like they were lost in a jungle.

To the contrary the Nomads’ sleek passing game was no match for them.

The best KB could do was to commit so many fouls. They were lucky to finish with 11 players, thanks to referee Azizi Nyirenda’s leniency.

KB assistant coach Ted Kalinda did not have any kind words for his troops.

“Their attitude cost us the game. We were awful. We did not play the way we had planned,” he said.

The clueless soldiers’ defence was caught napping as early as three minutes into the match when it gave Wadabwa, who was playing wide, too much space on the right flank.

The striker, blessed with lightning speed, beat his markers and curved in a cross that picked Zakazaka in the box for the striker to tap in with ease beyond KB goalkeeper Lemman Nthala.

Though the Nomads were wasteful in front of goal, Nthala also made some nerve-racking saves to keep the scores at 1-0 for a good part of the game.

But with a minute before the end of regulation time, Wadabwa ghosted in the second one from substitute Ibrahim Sadik’s well-curved set-piece.

The defending champions meet Prison United Saturday.

Assistant coach Elia Kananji said they would not underrate the Southern Region Football League side.