Big Bullets fans fondly call him ‘Di Maria’ after Manchester United’s recent top signing Angel Di Maria and Dalitso Sailesi seems to be complementing it to perfection on the pitch.
Just yesterday, the gifted left-winger— who is fast turning into a rescue specialist extraodinaire for the People’s Team—stood up to be counted when he scored a spectacular equaliser as Airborne Rangers led 1-0 and then turned into an architect in the winning goal scored by defender Sankhani Mkandawire.
Bullets have now moved a step up to second position with 43 points from 20 games, a point shy of leaders Moyale Barracks who were held to a barren draw by Mighty Wanderers at Mzuzu Stadium.
However, Moyale have played a game more and Bullets have a chance to topple them from the summit if they can beat Mafco this afternoon.
Airborne surged ahead in the 40th minute through their talisman Leonard Mgomezulu’s powerful header that rendered Bullets goaltender Vincent Gona not a prayer.
But the People’s Team came into the second-half with renewed purpose and barely a minute into this half, Sailesi struck straight from a corner kick to stun the hosts and the turnout was also left bewildered. It was a beauty and no wonder the name ‘Di Maria’ rolled off the tongues of the Bullets faithful so sweetly after the final whistle.
And just when it seemed the two teams would share the spoils, Bullets lived to their ‘kumadzulo’ syndrome and hit the winner through Mkandawire who headed home Sailesi’s cross.
While blaming the defeat on lapse of concentration on the part of his troops, Airborne Rangers coach Henry Khembo nevertheless thanked his team for its fighting spirit. His Bullets counterpart Elia Kananji was all praises for his players for fighting every inch of the way.
“A slip in this match would have been fatal. At least, we are now close to the leaders,” said Kananji.
In other games, defending champions Silver Strikers worsened Chikwawa United’s relegation woes with a 4-0 thumping. South Africa returnee Peter Wadabwa was the centrepiece of their victory after scoring all the goals in what can be termed as a warning shot to other teams. Civo United clobbered Red Lions 4-1.
