FCB Nyasa Big Bullets created plenty of chances and played brilliantly throughout the match but they couldn’t make any breakthrough as they were held to another disappointing goalless draw by Kamuzu Barracks to be winless in the last three matches of the TNM Super League at Civo Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Kalisto Pasuwa’s charges did everything in their capacity to get all the points, creating chance after chance, and pressing from all angles but, just like the previous matches, a goal couldn’t come in the entire 90 minutes.
What happened
The hosts started brightly in the opening minutes of the match by exchanging passes and had their first chance in the third minute when Lloyd Aaron conceded a foul closer to Bullets’ penalty box
Hope Namadzunda stepped up to release a very powerful shot to force Innocent Nyasulu to make his first save of the day for a corner kick, which was easily dealt with by Nickson Nyasulu.
Moments later, Zeliat Nkhoma threatened Bullets with a low cross-shot bound for the goal, but Nyasulu was very quick to react with a timely clearance.
Soon after missing those two opening chances, it was Bullets’ turn to pounce on the hosts when Patrick Mwaungulu made a brilliant run to the right before his dangerous cross was intercepted by Sam Chibvunde for a setpiece.
From the corner kick, KB’s defence was caught napping and failed to clear a long ball from Aaron who invited Hastings Banda to an aerial combat, but the shot-stopper lost the battle and allowed Babatunde Adepoju to rise higher in the sky before sending his header inches away from the goal posts.
Bullets kept on pressing for a goal and nearly broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when Anthony Mfune won the ball on the edge of the penalty box before releasing a thunderous shot that missed Banda’s right-hand post with an inch.
Next to try Banda was Precious Phiri, whose attempt was well dealt with by the shot-stopper who was in control of everything thrown at him by the high-pressing Bullets.
For the next ten minutes, it was Bullets versus Banda with the shot-stopper coming out top to handle two back-to-back corner kicks as the visitors pushed for the much-needed goal to unsettle the highly motivated side.
Bullets had another chance in the 33rd minute when Mfune failed to tap in from Phiri’s brilliant cross. KB’s defence failed to close gaps inside the six-yard box.
As Bullets kept on pushing, they opened up at the back and nearly conceded in the 43rd minute when Nkhoma spotted Nyasulu out of his line. The striker wasted no time by firing at goal, but he was very unfortunate as his effort missed the goal mouth with an inch, and that was all for the half.
After the recess, Banda was at it again, stretching his legs to make a brilliant save to deny Babatunde, who was set through by Mwaungulu after the winger exchanged passes with Phiri and Aaron.
In the 52nd minute, Babatunde moved into the shooting space before his goal-bound shot was blocked by Gerald Chirwa. At this moment, it was Bullets all over the place, but the visitors couldn’t make any breakthrough.
With 57 minutes played on the clock, KB had their first realistic chance in the half when Nyasulu was caught in no man’s land before losing aerial combat to Nkhoma, but the loose ball was cleared by Aaron before crossing the line.
63 minutes on the clock, Phiri missed a glorious opportunity to give us a lead.
The move was started by Crispin Mapemba to Mwaungulu who chipped the ball inside the box and found the unmarked right-back but he fired over the crossbar when the goal was wide open and Banda was already beaten in the line of duty.
Charles Kamanga brought in Kelvin Hang’anda for Chirwa to try to bring stability to the midfield, but despite making the changes, the hosts couldn’t stop the high-pressing Bullets which was all over the place in desperate search for a goal.
Pasuwa’s men had another chance in the 70th minute when Mwaungulu found Chawanangwa Gumbo unmarked by Mwaungulu on the edge of the box but the midfielder saw his shot completely go off Banda’s upright in unbelievable circumstances.
Pasuwa had to bring on board Stanley Billiat and Ernest Petro for Mfune and Gumbo. Bullets increased their attacking prowess and created plenty of chances but none went in.
At 80 minutes, Mwaungulu did everything to dribble past Chibvunde before his low cross drive was connected by Babatunde who hit the post even though the offside flag was already raised by the second assistant referee.
In the 83rd minute, Mwaungulu’s powerful shot was easily saved by Banda before another miss from Mapemba, to sum up, another frustrating afternoon for the defending champions and after 90 minutes of play, goalless it ended.
The latest draw leaves Bullets fifth in the table with 16 points from eleven games while the Lilongwe-based soldiers are second with twenty points from the same number of games.
At Karonga Stadium, a strike each from Geoffrey Mwakyembe and Amon Mwakitalu inspired Baka City to a comfortable 2-0 win over Bangwe All Stars.
The win moved Baka City to the 15th position with seven points while Bangwe All Stars are still 14th with the same number of points from eleven games.
