Nomads hit four past Wizards

…as Genki Nakamura lands Super League debut

A complete sublime performance by Be Forward Wanderers saw them hit four goals past a rather not spirited Wizards F.C side in an epic TNM Super League match on Sunday at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

Rafique Mussa’s long range effort just a minute after the start of the first half could not be contained by Wizards goalie Wanipa Gondwe who looked not set in the game. It was a goal that showed the Lali Lubani side was in high fight for a win.

Following the goal, the Nomads kept on showing the prowess this Sunday had for their side as Wizards could not play their usual slow and passing football.

Mussa in midfield had his coordination with Isaac Kaliati prove worth it. Their fight with Isaac Mwale and the speedy Jimmy Chikulekule remained the highlight of the first half.

Upfront, Nigerian Amos Bello failed to tick no wonder he was pulled off just after the half hour mark. He was replaced by Jaffalie Chande.

Bello had not partnered well with Peter Wadabwa as the two players failed to even share passes before the Wizards goal.

The Nomads led 1-nil until half time.

In the second half, it was all a passing game as the Chilomoni based side kept searching for that all important leveller but Chande was just another thorn in the flesh of Wizards as he hit the ball past Gondwe from close range.

A deflected ball met him just close to the 18 yard box and passing it to Wadabwa looked a waste to him. The ex-Nyasa Big Bullets player curved the ball on to the left side of the net and Nomads now banked on a two nil lead.

Efforts from the Wizards midfield to set up Paul Phiri upfront was all but a failure. Nomads defenders Bongani Kaipa and Foster Namwela kept capitalizing on their height as they won every ball that tried to come through. No wonder keeper Richard Chipuwa looked to be feeling the coldness as he had no tough time in goals.

Just after the stroke of the half hour mark, captain for the Nomads Francis Mlimbika had a long range effort beat Gondwe again. He was well fed by Kaliati who tackled his way through the web of Chikulekule and Mwale in the midfield. This time around the left footed Mlimbika shot just outside the centre line to score for his side. The Nomads led 3 nil with a little over twenty minutes left.

Mlimbika limped off from a knock on his knee later on. He was then sacrificed for Genki Nakamura who was coming on for his Super League debut.

The Japanese midfielder twice came close to scoring but his efforts could not just head any closer to the Wizards net. His partnership with Kaliati and Mussa kept adding flavour to the match the Nomads looked to have already controlled and won.

The Super League returnees had their fighting power all but killed and a filthy tackle on Mussa saw them conceding a penalty.

Wadabwa stepped up and could not just make any mistake. The forward was then substituted for veteran Jimmy Zakazaka. His heroics were not something the Nomads needed at all.

With the result, the Lali Lubani side moved up to 7th position with 20 points from 11 matches while Wizards now are on position 13 with just 12 points from 12 matches thus far.

In another Super League match on Sunday, Mafco beat heavyweights Blue Eagles 2-1.

The Salima based soldiers have now played 13 matches and are second on the log table, just a point behind leaders Silver Strikers who have 26 points.

Blue Eagles also have 25 points but trail Mafco on goal difference.