Playing a lower league team can be tricky, but FCB Nyasa Big Bullets coach Kalisto Pasuwa is confident that they have done enough to know what to expect from Balaka FC when they meet in the FDH Bank Cup Round of 16 at Balaka Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Teams in the lower divisions have had a huge impact on this prestigious cup in the past, and this season is not different as Santhe Admarc knocked our Mighty Tigers to progress to the Round of 16.
Seeing the likes of Tigers being eliminated by what many might call a small team is already a warning to the defending champions, a clear message that anything can happen and that they have to be really prepared.
“We have done our job in trying to know as much as possible about our opponents. We will take the game seriously. We want to be in the next round, so we are going to take care of every detail as we usually do,” he told the local media.
“These games are complicated. Even though the team comes from the premier division, it’s a team of quality with youngsters who have pace and can do wonders with the ball,” he added.
Even though Pasuwa is expecting a tough encounter against the non-league side, he should be confident in his team, having eliminated all the non-league teams in previous editions of the Cup.
In the cup’s inaugural year, Bullets progressed to the Round of 16 after they defeated their own reserve team and in the following year, The People’s Team recorded 2-0 and 3-1 victories over Chitipa United in the Round of 16 and Bullets Reserves in the final to win the competition for the first time since its launch in the 2020/21 season.
His opposite number Richard Boloko sent a warning shot to Bullets, saying ‘anything can happen in the game of football’.
“We have prepared well against the defending champions. We don’t have injury concerns, and we can’t give any excuses because everything is okay. It’s obvious that we will need to put extra gear because we are facing the biggest team in Malawi. My boys have been told to be vigilant, both mentally and physically, so that we cause an upset. We are looking forward to progressing to the next round,” he told the press.
Pasuwa’s side reached this stage of the cup after hammering Ndirande Stars 4-1 at Kamuzu Stadium whilst Balaka FC went past Chilumba Barracks with a hard-fought 2-1 victory.
The winner will join Mafco FC in the last eight following their 5-3 penalty shootout win over Blue Eagles after the regulation time ended 2-2.
