Ephraim Kondowe was the hero in the second leg of the CAF Champions League for FCB Nyasa Big Bullets when he came off the bench, scoring a goal in a 1-0 win against Dragon FC of Equatorial Guinea.
The victory means, Bullets have progressed to the second round of the preliminary stages with a 3-0 aggregate following their 2-0 away win last Sunday.
The People’s Team dominated exchanges in the entire match but they were unable to ask too many questions of Gustave Guirlele in the Dragon FC goal until Kondowe was introduced in the second half to score a vital goal on 67 minutes of the match.
Here are some of the things we observed from a very entertaining afternoon at Bingu National Stadium.
BB needs to improve if they want to go further
This could be deemed as a controversial take for a side that ran out as the victors on their first fixture in the Champions League, but Bullets rode their luck at times on the afternoon.
Before half time, the hosts had only two shots on target after creating numerous chances. The team failed to feed strikers properly as their midfield and wide players lacked accuracy when sending balls into the box.
Again, Bullets midfield needs to improve in their next encounter as at times it created room for Dragon FC players to take long range shots. Chawanangwa Gumbo started slowly, in the opening 20 minutes he was hiding forcing Enerst Petro to drop deep. His disappearance was creating a spaces for the visitors to maneuver at the midfield but when he started showing up and getting balls from the defence, the who midfield improved. And again Frank Willard as number 6 needs to be abit quicker as his slowness give Dragon some spaces to take shots from a far. The Guineans were the first to register shot on target when Filipe Diyogo Obiany Topepe to a powerful shot near the D when the centre half’s were left defenseless without cover from Willard. The team needs serious marking at the midfield when facing TP Mazembe in their next match.
excellent partnership at the back
The partnership between Yamikani Fodya and Clyde Saneji Navade worked perfectly despite the former being red carded for tackling Dragon FC forward to deny him scoring opportunity.
Fodya provided much needed experience at the back. He commanded the defense well and provided support the left back where right footed Precious Phiri was improvised.
It was like two leaders at the back with Navade also led the defense perfectly. His form since joining the People’s team has been remarkable and he showed again with a dominant display.
One move in the first half summed up his current form. The Kenyan picked the ball up from his own half and made a good run to midfield where he slid it to Lanjesi Nkhoma down the left before receiving it again near the D where he decided to skip it to Petro whose shot was saved by the goalkeeper.
When the defense is save with an experienced guy like Fodya, it gives room to Navade to overlap.
Kondowe isn’t only for the future, he is the present!
Against FC Dragon he scored his first international goal, with a brave finished after rounding off the goalkeeper.
He isn’t only for the future. He is one to look at now. He has done it three times domestically to come off the bench and score vital goals as his goal today came just five minutes after his introduction.
Kalisto Pasuwa should be happy to have Kondowe as his super substitute who provides depth to his strikers.
