SPORTS

Chanco thrashes Health Sciences 10-0 BY ANANIYA ALICK PONJE

Five first half goals and another half a unit second half goals earned Chancellor College (Chanco) a classic win over Malawi College of Health Sciences Zomba Campus in a game which was played at Chirunga Stadium, Chanco’s home ground, on Saturday. The game was both teams’ first encounter in the TESSAM tournament which is being sponsored by Chibuku products. The tournament attracts all colleges in Malawi and it is being held every year.

Four of the first half goals came from Madalitso ‘Wire’ Mussa, who was player of the months many times in the last season’s Southern Region Football League which was being sponsored by Arkay Plastics. The aggressive striker converted his first goal just about eight minutes after kick-off before adding another within five minutes to make the score-line 2-0.

The third goal came from Andy Banda, another upcoming striker who is already proving a force to reckon with. Then before halftime Mussa scored again twice to earn himself a hat-trick plus one, making it 5-0 in favour of the hosts.

Just a minute into the second half a Health Sciences player missed a grand opportunity of scoring into an unguarded goal opening after Chanco goal tender shifted from the goal. The striker shot wide, attracting boos both from his fellow teammates and from supporters.

For many times Health Sciences players seemed to show that they had come into the second half with full force by threatening the hosts’ goalkeeper for a number of times but he could not just allow them to send the ball behind the net.

About ten minutes into the second half, a direct free kick taken about 25 metres away from the goal post made the score-line 6-0. This was after a Health Sciences defender fouled a Chanco striker who appeared to be on his way to score a goal after beating an offside trap.

And within a minute, the hosts scored again through another striker to make it 7-0. They continued to press for another goal again which they deservedly got in the 30th minute of the second half.

By now, Health Sciences realized that they would not come back and register a win and they began to defend fervently, perhaps to avoid more embarrassment. But a stubborn Chanco which seemed to take every advantage of any mistake made by their opponents, scored another goal from the spot after Precious Mkoka was fouled in the 18-yard box making it 8-0. The penalty was converted by Andy Banda as the goalkeeper did not even attempt to show any effort to save the kick. Perhaps he had lost hope and decided that any kind of loss was necessary now.

After Health Sciences discovered that their defense had also been penetrated for times without number after thinking they had strengthened it, they just resorted to shooting from far, so that maybe they could get a consolation goal which, but, never came.

The ninth goal came in the 38th minute followed by another which came in the 40th minute to seal the 10-0 score-line.

Soon after the game, the visitor’s coach said that the loss was a real test that had shown them that they had an uphill task ahead of them. He however added that it did not mean that they were not a good side. “Guys, we still need to fight on. We have so many games remaining and we have to rectify a number of problems. We also need to train extra hard,” he said to his boys.

Conspicuously missing in the Chanco squad was Peter ‘Pido’Pindani who signed a contract with Big Bullets and would therefore not play for Chanco in any competitive match. During the last SRFL season Pindani was player of the month many times when he was playing for Chanco, who are still in the regional league. On Sunday, they were away in Blantyre playing against Chichiri Hammers at ESCOM Ground.

Other colleges in the same group as Chanco and Malawi College of Health Sciences Zomba Campus are Blantyre Teachers Training College, Soche Technical College and Mulanje Mission College. The team that tops the group will proceed to the quarter finals.