Second half goals from Thomson Magombo and Chawanangwa Gumbo inspired FCB Nyasa Big Bullets to a hard-fought 2-0 victory over a stubborn and highly motivated Lipulumundu FC in the Challenge Cup Round of 64 played at Kamuzu Stadium on Wednesday.
Several of Kalisto Pasuwa’s first team players were rested for this match, perhaps keeping them for the Blantyre Derby showdown on Sunday.
The People’s Team had plenty of goal scoring chances, especially in the first half, but to make a breakthrough proved futile as the second division side defended with everything to frustrate the hosts.
The first serious attempt at the goal for Bullets arrived in the 14th minute when Thomson Magombo tempted Richard Mtekateka, who fumbled the ball for a cornerkick, which was wasted by the hosts.
Moments later, Magobo was set through by Yankho Singo’s long ball from the midfield but despite being in a one-on-one situation with the shot-stopper, the midfielder failed to slot the ball into the net as Mtekateka came out top with a good save.
With 23 minutes played, Hassan Kajoke failed to score on two successive occasions when he was found unmarked by Anthony Mfune and Peter Banda, signifying a frustrating afternoon for the forward who was struggling to make any meaningful impact in the game.
Banda was set through by Mfune soon after the half-hour mark, and the winger did everything right, but his shot went wide when Mtekateka was already beaten in the line of duty.
The hosts were awarded a freekick closer to Lipulumundu’ penalty box, but MacFarlane Mgwira’s decision to play it short to Eric Kaonga backfired as the visitors dealt with the threat the moment the ball was delivered into the box.
At the other end, the only attempt at the goal by the division one side came in the 37th minute when Patrick Amanzy fired straight at Rabson Chiyenda, who wasn’t troubled by the visiting team throughout the match.
Bullets had their two final chances in the last minutes of the opening half, but they couldn’t produce anything out of the many chances created in the half, and the two teams went to the recess at 0-0. The visitors celebrated their resilience in holding Bullets who were pressing from all angles.
Come second half, Pasuwa brought in Precious Phiri and Chinedu Okafor for Kenneth Pasuwa and Kajoke.
Immediately after his introduction, Okafor hit the post when he was set up by Mgwira, who was now operating from the right flank.
Bullets kept on pressing and they should have had a goal when Okafor placed himself in a shooting range, but he mis-timed his shot, which was blocked by Abeck Dision.
Alick Mailosi replaced Nema Jangia for the visitors who were just sitting back to defend every ball thrown at them by the hosts.
Kaonga was next to tempt Mtekateka, who produced another save to keep on frustrating Pasuwa’s charges.
However, the resilience was finally put to a halt in the 66th minute when Mgwira made a sprinted run before crossing the ball to Magombo, who headed in an empty net as Mtekateka could not do anything to stop the ball.
Banda and Magombo were replaced by Lanjesi Nkhoma and Chawanangwa Gumbo for the hosts while Ramzy John came in for Ballack White.
At this moment, Bullets just kept on knocking the ball around, creating spaces and threatening the visitors who barely moved into the other half, apart from a single occasion in which Hassan Rajab produced a weaker shot that was easily dealt with by Chiyenda.
Righteous Banda came in for Mfune to try to improve the attacking prowess as Gumbo fired at goal only to see his goal-bound shot deflected for a cornerkick which, had no impact at all as it was well defended by the visitors.
However, Gumbo doubled Bullets’s lead with a screamer outside the penalty box when he produced a thunderous shot that hit the post first before going into the net, 2-0.
There was a late introduction by the visitors who brought in Gift Kapolo and Chikondano Njalali for Amanzy and Johny.
Bullets held on to record the win and proceeded to Round 32, where they will face Soche Socials at the same venue.
