FCB Nyasa Big Bullets completed their first-ever quadruple in history when they beat Mafco FC 2-1 at Kamuzu Stadium to win the 2023 Airtel Top 8 Cup.
The win sees them becoming the only second team to win the knockout competition twice, after Silver Strikers’ successes in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
It also means The People’s Team won every trophy in the land after they successfully retained both the Super League and FDH Bank Cup before last week’s triumph against Silver to win the Castel Challenge Cup at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
What happened?
From the onset, Bullets, visitors in this encounter, knew that Mafco would come very hard on them after they were hammered 3-0 in the FDH Cup in October.
Looking unfazed, the hosts were comfortable on the ball, and they should have found the back of the net in the 6th minute when Peter Kasonga delivered a very dangerous cross to Mphatso Philemon who headed over the crossbar from close range.
At the other end, Patrick Mwaungulu was fouled by Paul Ndhlovu closer to Mafco’s penalty box. The winger stepped up and fired at goal, but Christopher Mikuwa was equal to the task with a save, and from the rebound, Maxwell Phodo, who came into this game as a joint leading scorer alongside Hassan Kajoke with two goals, missed with the goal at his mercy.
Philemon was at it again, this time around, sending his powerful header over Clever Mkungula’s upright inside the six-yard box when he found himself on the receiving end of Aubrey Chafewa’s cross.
The match was well balanced as the two teams could pounce on each other whenever in possession of the ball, and the latest to waste a glorious opportunity was Phodo, who failed to tap in from close range after another excellent delivery from Mwaungulu.
The hosts had a clear goal-scoring opportunity in the 20th minute when Kasonga crossed the ball into the box. Mkungula completely failed to handle the situation and saw the ball landing straight at Prince Kachere, who blasted his effort over the crossbar when the goal was wide open.
Prichard Mwansa’s men were left to regret moments later when Lanjesi Nkhoma found the back of the net, tapping in from Anthony Mfune’s million-dollar pass into the six-yard box, 0-1.
The goal ignited Bullets who were now pressing from all angles and they should have doubled their lead in the 25th minute through Mfune whose powerful shot was well saved by Mikuwa, and from the rebound, Phodo was once again denied by the shot-stopper.
The pressure was just too much on Mafco, and the best option was for Mwansa to replace Gift Soko with Auspicious Kadzongola, a former reserve player for Bullets.
Kadzongola’s introduction brought stability to the midfield as the hosts were able to slow down Bullets’ pace.
The Salima-based side was level in the 34th minute through an Own Goal from Nickson Nyasulu, who failed to clear the ball out of danger from a freekick that was played by Stain Malata, 1-1.
The hosts, after equalizing, decided to sit back to defend against a very ruthless side, and this game plan seemed to have worked as they went to the recess at 1-1.
Pasuwa brought Ephraim Kondowe for Mfune, who hasn’t been active for the Malawi champions in the last games.
This was the final half, and this meant one thing; a very aggressive and high-pressing Bullets desperate for a goal to restore their lead.
But it was Mafco with a chance in the 46th minute through Philemon, who fired wide from close range.
After missing that glorious opportunity, Bullets pounced in Mafco with a series of counterattacks, but their frontmen were wasteful in front of goals.
In the 50th minute, Mwaungulu took things into his own hands when he played a fast one on Mafco’s defense before his thunderous shot was well saved by Mikuwa, who was very outstanding between the two sticks.
For the next ten minutes, it was Bullets versus Mikuwa, but the shot-stopper came out top with fantastic saves to keep his side in the game.
But Bullets’ pressure was too intense for them to contain, and in the 71st minute, they conceded a penalty when Chafewa brought down Phodo.
Nyasulu, who had never missed a penalty in Bullets colours, stepped up and saw his spot kick well saved by Mikuwa, but the ball landed straight at Nkhoma who scored from the rebound to restore their lead, 1-2.
Mikuwa was again the saviour for Mafco with a save in the 75th minute when Kondowe took a powerful shot that was well dealt with by the shot-stopper.
Walusungu Mpata and Yohane Malunga replaced Philemon and Kachere for Mwansa’s men to try to push for a goal, but Bullets’ defense, which was very shaky in the first half, got organized and defended their goal with everything.
Pasuwa brought in Peter Banda for Phodo, an indication that it was now about managing the game with less than ten minutes left to play on the clock.
The hosts had a rare chance in the 84th minute, but Kasonga headed wide when he was unmarked in the box.
In the additional minutes, Pasuwa introduced Yamikani Fodya for Mwaungulu. This was his final game for Bullets in a career that lasted for more than fourteen years.
Mafco tried to push, but Bullets held on to add another trophy to their already decorated cabinet.
By winning the competition, they have pocketed MK17 million and a beautiful trophy.
As for Mafco, they were very close but yet very far as this was their second cup final defeat in the 2023 season.
