Chambo Charmed
Branbilla Likes Scoring
Despite being deployed at left-back as his quest for match fitness continues, new midfield signing
Matthias Branbilla couldn't stop sticking them in. His 34th minute goal broke Chambo United's midfield dominance, and led to a hard-earned victory in the end over the Tanzanian Division Two side.
Just over 2000 people were scattered about Chambo's home stadium, optimistically named The Prize, with scaffolding scattered over much of the structure in preparation for expansion. Chambo played like a team with confidence from doing well in the league, and promptly took the lead in the 13th minute - tall Finnish central defender Rami Huomo met Augusto Miani's corner kick all too easily, and Bao-Tam was well beaten as the header sailed into the opposite end of the net.
Chambi's distinctive jerseys of green with a thick white stripe and a thin black stripe within that, mimicing somewhat the flag of the country, were by far the more active of the two sides. Grilled's reserves, in their third kit of white top and shorts, were unable to get any grip on the game, and were lucky not to fall away completely as Norwegian fullback Erik Nielsen barely missed with an unstoppable volley.
It took a set piece for Grilled to get themselves some breathing space, and even more importantly work themselves back into the running.
Nawaz Talib teed the ball up and wide from the kick, which opened a clear shot past the wall for Branbilla. Swiss goalie Titus Rotzetter barely registered any recognition when Branbilla stepped in to drill the ball past him.
Penati's reputation for dirty play didn't get any better when he tugged an opposing midfielder off balance, and his comical attempts to deny the crime probably got him his yellow card as much as the foul itself. There was then a flurry of activity, with Firdaus putting a strike against the post, with Chambo's player-coach Bennie Derksen straining himself while stretching to clear the rebound. Mirchev finished the move as Derksen left the field for treatment, taking the long throw-in beautifully on his chest and chipping it over Rotzetter.
Chambo's defenders appeared to be in an attacking mood, and wingback Nuno Dias Correia did well to evade Alcántara's lunge and cut loose with tremendous power just before half-time. Talib blocked bravely, and the force of the shot took the ball to midfield where Spirig helped it on instinctively. Old favourite
Tim Hobson went all out for it, but only managed to catch Rotzetter in the legs to his dismay. Rotzetter appeared well winded by the impact, but since the half-time whistle had already gone, he would have fifteen minutes to recover adequately.
Grilled finally clicked with their experimental 4-3-3, and began to take control of the second half.
Ciro Penati shifted from being a mere nuisance to being very useful down the left, and one of his probing low crosses was skilfully stabbed in at the near post by Firdaus. Talib then came close with a splendid lob that Rotzetter did well to tip over, but then Erik Nielsen effortlessly muscled between two Grilled players to dip a header straight down into the bottom corner. Mirchev would seal the win with a long run out from defence, though.
