…as Civil are held at home by Hammers….
Defending champions, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets moved to the top of the TNM Super League after they hammered Blue Eagles 3-0 at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets claimed a convincing 3-0 win over Blue Eagles on Sunday at Kamuzu Stadium to move ahead of Silver Strikers at the top of the standings.
It was a match in which both teams needed to win at all cost after Bullets registered back-to-back goalless draws to Kamuzu Barracks and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers, respectively, whilst Eagles were beaten 1-0 away to Ekwendeni Hammers last week.
With injuries hitting The People’s Team and with other four players absent due to national team engagements, Kalisto Pasuwa made several changes to his team, with Yamikani Fodya partnering Blessings Mpokera in defense whilst Henry Kabichi was handed his first league start to take charge of the midfield in the absence if Ernest Petro who also suffered an injury.
The visitors had no Paul Master, Brighton Munthali and MacDonald Lameck due to a suspension and national team engagements.
From the onset, Eagles dominated possession by keeping the ball away from the hosts who normally enjoy playing in their backyard regardless of the opposition at hand.
But, against the run of play, Bullets took a surprise lead in the 4th minute in a brilliant fashion.
Franco Ndawa Jnr handled the ball outside the penalty box, resulting in a freekick, which Fodya stepped up to fire past John Soko before hitting the upright and into the net, 1-0.
But this lead could have been cut a few moments later when Micium Mhone delivered a very dangerous cross that was well saved by Clever Mkungula for a corner kick, which the hosts easily defended.
The Area 30 based side kept on pressurizing Bullets from all angles and should have had a goal in the 14th minute when Richard Rapson produced an excellent run to the left before sending a dangerous pass into the six-yard box. But Mkungula was equal to the task with a brilliant save.
Bullets kept on struggling to keep possession, and when caught off guard, they also struggled to win the ball back from the opponents as their midfield was completely outnumbered by Schumaker Kuwali and Mhone.
Mkungula was called again into action in the 27th minute when he saved Kuwali’s powerful shot for a corner kick, which paid no difference as referee Mayamiko Kanjere blew his whistle for an infringement on the shot-stopper
At the other end, Bullets had a chance to double their lead when they caught the visitors on a counterattack, but Chawanangwa Gumbo was very unfortunate to miss the target with just an inch from his powerful shot outside the penalty box.
Thirty-three minutes on the clock, Hassan Kajoke thought he had scored, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
Gomezgani Chirwa almost doubled Bullets’ advantage when he found himself on the receiving end of Gumbo’ cross but his tap-in was well saved by Soko for a corner kick which was also well defended by the Cops.
In the additional minutes, Kabichi came to Bullets’ rescue when he intercepted a very dangerous cross that nearly found Kuwali, who was ready to pull the trigger, and that was all for the half.
In the second half, Pasuwa brought in MacFarlane Mgwira, Precious Phiri, and Kesten Simbi for Righteous Banda, Kabichi, and Kenneth Pasuwa to try to minimize Eagles’ pace which originated from the midfield.
It was a tactical change because Mpokera, who was very outstanding in the opening half, moved into the defensive midfield position to fix the middle of the park that mostly belonged to the visitors.
Three minutes into the final half, Mhone missed a sitter when his powerful header from the six-yard box went wide. The winger was found unmarked by an excellent cross from Maxwell Gustavo.
In the 51st minute, Christopher Gototo came in for Arthur Moffat to try to improve the attacking prowess after they missed a lot of chances, that if converted, Eagles would have been in total control of the match.
Mpokera’s switch into the midfield was all what Bullets needed as they started to slowly take the game to their opposition.
Kajoke had an opportunity to bury the game into Bullets’ favor, but his shot, in a one on one situation with the goalkeeper, was well saved by the shot-stopper who kept his team in the game. Had it been that goal went in, Eagles’ chances of making a comeback would have been a far-fetched dream.
Anthony Mfune also missed a chance when his weaker header from a Precious Sambani’s cross went straight into the palms of Soko.
But Eagle’s resilience was put to an end in the 62nd minute when Kajoke got the better of Ndawa Jnr before slotting the ball past defenseless Soko.
The move was started by Chirwa, whose long ball was calmly controlled by Mfune before a through ball to Kajoke, who made no mistake by putting the ball inside the net, 2-0.
Soko was called into action in the 68th minute when he stopped Kajoke’s dangerous pass, which was bound to find Mfune at the far end of the six-yard box.
In the 74th minute, Lanken Mwale and Trouble Banda replaced Tonic Viyuyi and Ndawa Jnr whilst Ephraim Kondowe came in for Mfune in the 77th minute.
It was Kondowe who completely dashed Eagle’s hopes of a late come back when he scored with his first touch after he was found in the offensive zone by Mpokera, 3-0.
With 7 minutes left to play, Kajoke was replaced by Chinedu Okafor, who nearly got on the scoresheet when he fired at goal only to see his shot well blocked by Sankhani Mkandawire.
Chikondi Mvula and Laurent Banda came in for Rapson and Mhone but it was too late as Bullets comfortably walked away with all the points to move top of the standings with 25 points, level with the Central Bankers but Pasuwa’s charges have a superior goal difference and they have played a game more than their closest contenders who were exempted from playing games after they contributed four players to the national team.
As for Eagles, the defeat leaves them in 8th position with 15 points from 12 games.
At Civo Stadium, Civil Service United and Ekwendeni Hammers played out to a goalless draw.
The result means Civil is 9th in the table with 15 points whilst Hammers failed to move into the top four and remain 5th with 19 points from 12 games.
At Karonga Stadium, Karonga United came from behind to beat Dedza Dynamos to move out of the bottom three into 11th with 14 points.
Clement Nyondo, current top scorer, had given the visitors a lead over his former side, but Olson Kanjira leveled moments later before a Josiah Duwa’s strike that won the match for the struggling side.
The defeat leaves Dedza into 10th with the same points from the same number of games played.
