By Twink Jones Gadama
In a thrilling TNM Super League encounter, Silver Strikers emerged victorious with a 3:1 win over Bangwe All Stars.
The match, held at Silver Stadium, saw both teams putting up a tough fight, but it was Silver Strikers who ultimately came out on top.
The first half of the match was a closely contested affair, with both teams struggling to find the back of the net.
Despite several promising opportunities, neither side was able to break the deadlock, and the score remained 0:0 heading into halftime.
As the second half got underway, Silver Strikers upped the ante and began to pile on the pressure against Bangwe All Stars.
Their efforts paid off in the 55th minute, when Binwell Katinji finally broke the deadlock and scored the first goal of the match for Silver Strikers.
Buoyed by their lead, Silver Strikers continued to dominate play and soon found themselves with another goal.
Adwell Kaduya capitalized on a defensive error from Bangwe All Stars and slotted the ball into the back of the net, extending their lead to 2:0.
As the match progressed, Silver Strikers made a crucial substitution, bringing on Charles Chipala in place of Adwell Kaduya.
The move proved to be a masterstroke, as Chipala wasted no time in making an impact on the game.
In the 75th minute, he found himself in a scoring position and made no mistake, extending Silver Strikers’ lead to 3:0.
Despite facing an uphill battle, Bangwe All Stars refused to give up and fought hard until the final whistle.
Their persistence paid off in the dying moments of the match, as Patrick Phiri managed to pull one back for his team in the 90th minute, scoring a consolation goal for Bangwe All Stars.
After the match, Silver Strikers coach Peter Mponda expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance and the result.
However, he also expressed disappointment with the laxity shown by his players in conceding a late goal.
“I am pleased with the result and the effort put in by the team today,but we need to remain focused and work on tightening up our defense to avoid conceding unnecessary goals in the future,” said Mponda.
On the other hand, Bangwe All Stars coach Christopher Nyambose took a positive approach to the loss, acknowledging that the first games of the season are always challenging.
“Despite the result, I am proud of my players for their fighting spirit and determination,”Nyambose said.
He added:”We will review the match, identify our areas of weakness, and work on correcting them in our upcoming fixtures.”
Overall, it was a hard-fought match between two competitive teams, with Silver Strikers ultimately emerging as the victors.
As the TNM Super League season progresses, both teams will be looking to build on their performances and continue their quest for success on the pitch.