There is nothing more dangerous than a wounded lion because it has no option but to attack. In such state was PSC as the welcomed Kibra Black All-Stars for a do-or-die match. Changes were rung in with the most significant being the firing of interim coach Ragnick Waire who paid the price for the 7-2 thrashing. Waire may feel hard done considering he did his best under difficult circumstances with double agent Lefty sent by Ogochee to sabotage his well-worked system. However, we move on as Waire was demoted to kit manager (this cartel does not joke). With the shock of Waire as the new kit manager, it was then my expectation to Lefty as the ball boy, but new coach De Mwai had other ideas. With 22 players to select from, he chose his best to lead the line. Babu maintained his position between the sticks looking to garner his first clean sheet of the season. Kamdam returned in defense having recovered from a thigh injury incurred in the previous match. Steve partnered him in central defense while Lefty was given a chance to rectify his mistakes from the previous wings, or maybe, just maybe the coach wanted to ensure that it makes the same mistakes he will be substituted before further damage occurs or else there would be a second half to recover. Dele Mutua found himself back to his original position as left-back. It was clear that with deploying two attack-minded defenders in Lefty and Mutua overlapping runs and crosses would be expected in the game. Granit Xhaka Bassanga’s homecoming for the season was rewarded with the armband albeit the new coach was unaware of the last season's incidence of a thrown armband. It was clear that the coach had declared war on the opposition with the ever-energetic and hard-tackling midfielder always a thorn on the opponents. To assist Bassanga in the middle of the pack was Senji Dr. having already demonstrated great form early in the season. Last season’s ballon D’or winner Chubar was back to engineer a first win for the team. Deemed surplus to the Super Eagles Ogochee returned to PSC and was drafted into the wing alongside Doobiz. Sisco was charged to lead the line hoping to replace a gun that has been firing blanks with a machete that can at least cause some damage. Black Stars Wazee had not come to play as they employed physicality into the game. Unknown to them, the coach De Mwai had deployed Bassanga for specifically this purpose, a player who enjoys kubonda as much as he enjoys scoring goals. In a high tempo first half, both teams were creating several chances with Black Stars taking advantage of the slow pace of the center backs to launch counterattacks. Questions were being asked to Kamdam and he was finding it difficult to provide answers. In a game in which speed was proving greater than strength Kamdam had to employ unorthodox methods with the services of his hand to keep his opponents in check (not to be confused by the milking one of the team members received last week). The first clear-cut chance fell to PSC as Sisco outmuscled an opponent and squared it for Ogochee, however, his tame shot was direct to the goalkeeper. As PSC wasted its chances a long ball was played behind the defense setting a Black Stars striker on goal. Kamdam did what he did the previous week sweeping him off his feet in the penalty area. In the movies, he would have been in the prom king but on the pitch, he conceded a penalty and a yellow card for his efforts. Black Stars stepped up to take it and the deadlock was broken. 1-0 The goal increased the tempo of the game as PSC went in search of an equalizer, Senji Dr. and Chubar joining in attack as the team continued to threaten. Doobiz won a freekick on the left and Senji Dr. stepped up to take it, curving it to the back post only for the goalkeeper to tip over for a corner. However, nothing came of the corner kick. As PSC pressed for a goal, Mutua was caught in no man’s land as his overlap opened space behind him. Mutua made the recovery but with little option took a lesson from Kamdam and brought the opponent down. The opponents having identified Babu’s weakness in handling dead balls choose to go long this time targeting Kamdam, creating a moment of “akili inataka lakini mwili haikubali mwito”. Kamdam went up for the header or in his brain he thought he had gone for the header but in actuality remained grounded unable to defy Newton’s laws of gravity. What must come up must come down, but what if it doesn’t go up? The Black Stars’ striker was grateful for the free header as he nodded home to make it 2-0. With the team trailing, Coach De Mwai was animatedly sending new instructions on the pitch which immediately paid off. Senji Dr. broke the offside trap and spotting Chubar’s run set the ball to the back of the goal, who made no mistake with his laces volleying the ball to the back of the net. 2-1. PSC had finally got the momentum and Black Stars chose violence as a reply, as one of their players targeted the lightest man on the north of Limpopo to elbow him but his theatrics did go unnoticed as he received his marching orders. 10 man Black Stars. With one more man, PSC took advantage to chase for an equalizer but the numbers advantage did not last long. Another through ball between the defense had Steve scrambling to recover however, the ground proved slippery as he fell the ball rick shading back to the striker. Desperate moments call for desperate times as Steve took matters into his own hands (literally). With Steve lying belly flat on the grass he made a dive with his hand that not only Babu would have been proud of but also the greatest keepers in the world De Gea, Mendy, name them. In a move only witnessed in Olympics by swimming great Michael Phelps, Steve shot his hand as if going for the gold-winning breaststroke and smacked the ball with all his might. The referee had no option but to send him for an early shower as the team was reduced to ten men. Ogochee immediately dropped to center back to cover to assist. He immediately got down to business cutting a defense splitting pass, giving the player a kanzu before setting the team a counter-attack. As halftime approached, PSC continued to have the upper hand, as Doobiz drive down the right resulted in a free-kick as he was wrestled to the ground. Senji Dr. stepped up to float the ball into play however, Black Stars were able to clear only for it to fall for Bassanga. Bassanga’s initial control let him down, but the follow-up thunderbolt did not, sweet as a mango the shot curved to the back of the corner. 2-2 The goal brought confidence to the team as the pace dropped and the ball was passed around as the team searched for openings to get a goal to take the lead. It was at this moment that hero Bassanga decided to pull a Lefty. Bassanga having drifted to right-back made a cross-field pass to nobody, allowing an opponent to pick it and race clear with only the goalkeeper to beat. Tried and test formulae, the goalkeeper had no choice but to pull a Kamdam bringing the player down in the box. Yellow card to Babu and penalty to Black Stars. Up stepped the striker but he could only do what Mahrez did against Ivory Coast, hitting the sidebar from the penalty spot. With no forthcoming action, the referee called the team for halftime. Ringing in the changes; faster defenders in the form of Makelele and Gitau were deployed, with Droopy and Rasco taking the fullbacks. Georges having endured a difficult game back was tasked with protecting the defense while Yohana Mtembezi went in for Senji Dr. Erico came in on the right while Izo came in on the left. With 11 players returning on the pitch for both sides, PSC picked up where they left but this time with more rhythm. Georges was at home distributing the ball across the midfield with Chubar and Yohanna Mtembezi having a field day finding their wingers, Erico being the main beneficiary. However, chances came begging first Sisco with only the goalkeeper to beat shooting wide before Erico’s crosses not finding anyone in the box. However, it was Chubar’s cross that finally provided the lead this time an opponent turning it in under pressure from Sisco. 3-2. PSC sensing blood went in for more, as a high ball contested in a corner resulted in the second red card for Black Stars as a result of disserting with the goalkeeper attacking Gitau off the ball. However, the numbers count did amount to much as Black Stars almost immediately equalized making it 3-3. Coach De Mwai threw in new energy to salvage the win in the form of Collinso and Zlatan with Collinso almost having an immediate impact setting up Johny only for him to convert the ball. Black Stars never say die attitude also resulted in another goal from a counter-attack but Makelele was at hand to take out the winger and book himself in the referee’s book. With the PSC bench protesting the card Dele Mutua also received a yellow for foul language. A goal for PSC was coming this time Georges setting through Erico who beat the offside trap to slot the ball home. 4-3 More was to come as Georges found Johnny on the right, and his well-weighted pass was spot on to Zlatan’s head who only required one chance to put the game to bed. 5-3 With PSC enjoying a comfortable lead Collinso decided to perform his defensive duties having been instructed that the first defender is the attacker. Closing in to win the ball, the Black Stars player had another thing in mind as he gave him the smoothest of “chobos” just between the knees “kimo cha mbuzi”. It was then that the referee decided he had seen enough and blew the final whistle. 5-3 win to PSC OOT. A new uniform, a new technical bench, and a first win of the season.
