Civil Sporting Club battled from two goals down to earn a share of the spoils with Savenda Chitipa United as the two sides played out an entertaining 2-2 draw on Sunday in a TNM Super League match at the Karonga Stadium.
The hosts raced into a two goal led at half time curtsey of strikes from Khumbo Ng’ambi and Justice Chihoma while the visitors replied through Blessings Tembo and Mohamad Sulumba.
After losing to Karonga United on Saturday, the point gained against Chitipa means that the civil servants have managed to pick up only a single point from a possible six in their two assignments in the north.
Meanwhile, with the point Savenda Chitipa United have now stretched their unbeaten run to six games with three wins and three draws in that time.
In a lively first half, the hosts began the game strongly with their one touch football troubling the visitors’ defence.
Khumbo Ng’ambi and the lively Christopher Mtambo all sent warning shots to civil’s goal in the first 10 minutes.
The pressure of their attacks finally yielded a goal for the lions of Chitipa as Ng’ambi ruthlessly finished off a flowing team move in the 18th minute past a helpless Tiwone Tembo.
In the 35th minute Justice Chihoma doubled the home side’s led when he curled in a stunning 25 yard free-kick as they took control of the game.
Despite having the likes of Blessings Tembo, Isaac Msiska and Fletcher Bandawe the visitors struggled to create any chances of note as they failed to contain an inspired home side who should have killed off the contest with a number of opportunities that they mustered in the first half.
In the second half, Civil began it more strongly as they pinned the home side in their own half as they searched for an opening to comeback into the match.
In the 55th minute the Lilongwe based giants were given a lifeline as Mohamad Sulumba pulled a goal back as he headed in from a free-kick.
With 8 minutes remaining on the clock the visitors completed the comeback as Blessings Tembo tapped in after a lapse of concentrationby the Chitipa’s defence.
Despite the hosts finishing the stronger of the two sides, chances were hard to come by as their first half missed opportunities came back to haunt them as they were forced to share the spoils.
In a post-match interview, Chitipa United coach Alex Ngwira, bemoaned his side’s lack of ruthlessness in front of goal attributing it to the dropped points.
“We are really disappointed with the result as we should have killed civil off in the first half when we were fantastic but we didn’t and relaxed in the second half and we were punished for that,” said a frustrated Ngwira.
However, Civil Sporting Club tactician Franco Ndauo, hailed his charges’ spirit in fighting back to earn a point.
“Our first half performance was shocking and not good enough hence we had to come back strong in the second half and we did that and as a coach I was delighted with that response,” he said.
With the draw, Civil Sporting and Savenda Chitipa United remain unmoved on the log table with Civil remaining in 7th with 25 points from 18 matches while Chitipa stay in 11th with 19 points to their name from 17 games.
