…now targeting a quadruple…
They came, they saw and they conquered. That is the story of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, who have completed a treble in the 2023 season, adding the Castel Challenge Cup to their trophy cabinet.
Second half substitute Clever Mkungula was the hero of the day as he saved two penalties to help his team beat Silver Strikers in the finals at Bingu National Stadium.
The win brought to an end Silver’s unbeaten run in all the finals they have played at the facility since its opening in 2017.
It also means they, for the second consecutive season, have finished empty-handed, having missed out on the Super League, the FDH Bank Cup, and the Airtel Top 8 Cup which they recently lost to Mafco FC last Tuesday.
What happened
Pieter De Jongh’s charges were dominant in the first ten minutes of the match, and it wasn’t a surprise to see them taking a lead in the 8th minute through Atusaye Nyondo who produced a powerful header from Duncan Nyoni’s well taken corner kick to beat Richard Chimbamba in the line of duty, 0-1.
The goal saw the visitors sitting back to defend their slender lead and ended up inviting pressure from the hosts who were now looking for a response before the end of the first half.
Chawanangwa Gumbo, who was unused substitute against Mighty Mukuru Wanderers in the semis, created Bullets’ first realistic goal scoring opportunity, but he took time to react and allowed Emmanuel Kaunga to intervene.
But Kaunga’s clearance landed straight at Precious Phiri, who made a run into the offensive zone before exchanging passes with Maxwell Phodo, who then found Lanjesi Nkhoma unmarked inside the penalty box, but he fired wide.
Bullets kept on having the majority of the possession and would have wondered how they didn’t level the scoreline through Phodo in the 15th minute, but the visitors kept out two goal-bound shots in quick succession, one of which was deflected up and onto the crossbar.
The hosts’ pressure finally paid off in the 24th minute when Gumbo made a run into the final third before sending a million-dollar pass to Nkhoma, who got the better of Emmanuel Kaunga before hitting the ball with power to beat Pilirani Mapira who could only watch the net shaking, 1-1.
Bullets kept on pushing, and there was a moment of brilliance when they kept on passing the ball for more than ten minutes as the visitors were nowhere near the action area, but the hosts kept on missing chance after chance to keep their opponents into the game.
Thrice, Phodo fired wide when passing the ball to his teammate was the best option, but he decided to take things into his own hands, wasting two chances in succession to the disappointment of the red and white fans.
At the other end, Chimwemwe Idana, who was silent throughout the match, tried to launch a counter-hurricane attack, but all his runs were challenged by Yankho Singo, who pocketed the pacey midfielder, and gave him no chance to maneuver around.
With 38 minutes played, Patrick Mwaungulu’s brilliant goal-bound freekick beat Mapira, but Maxwell Paipi came to the shot-stopper’ rescue with an intelligent clearance.
The hosts were all over the place, passing the ball at will and forcing Silver to be second on the ball, but Pasuwa’s men were very wasteful in front, the latest being Nkhoma who sent his weaker shot straight at Mapira, and that was all for the half.
The opening ten minutes of the second half saw much huff and puff from both teams, but very little end product, which included a long-range, right-footed effort from Mwaungulu that sailed over the bar of Mapira in Silver’s goal.
Ball possession was still in the hands of Bullets, but they lacked the finishing composure in the final third to punish the visitors who were mostly second on the ball.
Silver’s closest chance came in the 58th minute when Patrick Macheso, another silent player on the day, made a run before sending a dangerous cross bound for Nyondo, but Chimbamba was very much alert with a timely intervention.
With the hour-mark played, tempers started flying high, forcing Gift Chicco to flash yellow cards on Nyoni, Paipi, and Singo, a clear indication that at this juncture, the match could have gone to either side.
Pasuwa’s team suffered a huge setback in the 65th minute when Chimbamba landed awkwardly and got injured in the process. He was rushed to the hospital, and he was replaced by Clever Mkungula, who was making his first-time appearance since August this year.
De Jongh brought in Zebron Kalima and George Chaomba for Nyoni and Nyondo to try to improve his attacking prowess.
Chaomba was involved in the 70th minute when he found himself to the receiving end of Paipi’s pass, but the forward couldn’t believe it as his shot was well saved by Mkungula for a cornerkick which was easily defended by the hosts.
At this moment, the midfield battle was the highlight of the match as Idana was heavily closed down by Singo, and he couldn’t do anything with the ball, a situation that saw Bullets making dangerous runs into the opposition’ box, but Phodo missed a chance in the 74th minute when his volley went over the crossbar with Mapira already beaten in the line of duty.
Ephraim Kondowe and Hassan Kajoke were introduced by Pasuwa in the 80th minute for Phodo and Nkhoma.
Immediately after coming in, Kondowe was denied by Mapira, who made a brilliant save to deny the forward from winning it for Bullets.
Penalties were imminent, and this saw Pasuwa introducing good penalty takers in Yamikani Fodya and Nickson Nyasulu for Mwaungulu and Petro.
There was a last chance for Silver, but Idana was once again late, allowing Gomezgani Chirwa, who partnered Clyde Senaji in defense, to make a clearance.
In the shootout, Bullets scored four of their penalties through Fodya, Kajoke, Senaji, and Precious Phiri while Chinsinsi Maonga, who replaced Macheso, and Nickson Mwase, missed from twelve yards to send Bullets fans into massive celebrations.
The next assignment for Pasuwa’s men is the Airtel Top 8 Cup final against Mafco FC next week
