Chimwemwe Idana opened the scoring as TNM Super League defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets hammered TN Stars 6-0 at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday afternoon to move within six points of log leaders Silver Strikers.
Bullets were coming from a 1-0 defeat to the Central Bankers last week whilst TN Stars had registered a 2-0 defeat to Red Lions on Friday afternoon.
The home side made five changes to the side that lost last week, handing Alick Lungu his first game of the season, with Chiukepo Msowoya, Mike Mkwate, Blessings Mpokera and Chimango Kayira all coming in for Ernest Petro, Sankhani Mkandawire, John Lanjesi, Zicco Mkanda and MacFallen Mgwira.
Bullets meant business and they should have taken a lead in the 13th minute when Gomezgani Chirwa was found unmarked inside the six-yard box only to be denied by the advanced Blackson Kotie for a throw-in which had no impact at all on the visitors.
Despite their resilient, the visitors could do nothing to stop Bullets from finding their opener in the 23rd minute following a brilliant exchange of passes between Chirwa, Mkwate and Msowoya who laid off Idana to slot the ball past Kotie into the corner, 1-0.
The hosts should have doubled their lead in the 26th minute but Lungu fired his shot wide when TN Stars’ defence was caught napping in the line of duty.
Moments later, Idana missed another clear-cut opportunity when he was found unmarked in the six-yard box by Mkwate but the midfielder failed to connect well as he sent his effort wide off Kotie’s goal posts.
However, Bullets doubled their lead in the 35th minute through Hassan Kajoke who scored from the spot following a hand ball incident by Mike Milanzi, 2-0.
At half time, coach Kalisto Pasuwa brought in Mkanda for Msowoya whilst Kotie, who was injured in the first half, was replaced by Gracian Kazembe.
Bullets wasted no time in the second half when Mkanda set up the third goal for Chirwa who made no mistake to welcome the substitute goalkeeper with a beautiful volley, 3-0.
Mkanda turned from a provider to a scorer when he brilliantly finished Precious Sambani’s move to beat Kazembe who could only watch the ball rolling in past him to send the Stadium into a frenzy, 4-0.
In the 58th minute, Lungu was replaced by MacFallen Ngwira whilst China Chirwa came in for Gift Chunga.
The visitors had their first realistic chance in the 60th minute when Laurent Banda released a thunderbolt outside the penalty box which was tipped over the cross bar by Richard Chimbamba for a corner.
In the 67th minute, Kajoke could not believe it when he was set through by Idana only to send his effort wide with the goalkeeper already beaten in the line of duty.
That was all for the duo as they were replaced by Stainley Biliat and Petro, with Thokozani Harrison coming in for Chiletso Zoya for the visitors.
The People’s Team put more misery on the visitors when Mkanda doubled his tally after finishing off Ngwira’s shot pass inside the 18-yard box, 5-0.
Yamikani Fodya replaced Chirwa as Bullets nearly scored their sixth goal when Mkwate won the ball in the offensive half to feed Ngwira who could only manage to send his effort over the cross bar.
But the winger made up for his earlier miss when he scored Bullets’ sixth goal in the 90th minute to round off in what was a good game for the home side heading into the second round of the season.
The win sees Bullets finishing the first round on second position with 29 points whilst TN Stars have finished the opening half on tenth position with 19 points.
Silver Strikers leads the standings with 35 points whilst Mighty Tigers are bottom of the standings with 11 points.
Image Source: Nyasa Big Bullets Media
