Two quick second-half goals from Babatunde Adepoju and Chawanangwa Gumbo inspired FCB Nyasa Big Bullets to a 2-0 victory over Bangwe All Stars to finish the first round of the TNM Super League in the top four.
It was a goalless first half at Mpira Stadium on a hot afternoon but Bullets made amends with two quick strikes to claim all the points and dislodged Mzuzu City Hammers who played out to a 1-all draw away to Karonga Stadium.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets completed their first-round games in the TNM Super League with a convincing 2-0 win away to Bangwe All Stars at Mpira Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Straight from a remarkable Blantyre Derby win over Mighty Mukuru Wanderers in the FDH Bank Cup Round of 16 last Sunday, Kalisto Pasuwa’s men targeted a win over the relegation-threatened side to finish the opening round on a high.
But, they had to endure a very frustrating first half before scoring two quick second-half goals to register their fifth win of the season.
It was a second meeting between the two teams within the space period of three weeks as Bullets thrashed their opponents 5-0 to eliminate them from the FDH Bank Cup.
What happened
The first goal-scoring opportunity came in the 16th minute when Babatunde Adepoju won the ball from Kumbukani Manto but with the goal wide-open, he fired wide in unbelievable circumstances.
In the 18th minute, Bullets suffered a setback when James Tambwali Petro through a rough tackle that was missed by referee Gift Chicco.
Pasuwa replaced Petro with Chawanangwa Gumbo.
His first involvement was a chance in the 23rd minute when he was set by Babatunde inside the penalty box but his shot hit the crossbar and from the rebound, Crispin Mapemba blasted his effort over the crossbar.
With 28 minutes played, Lloyd Aaron almost capitalized on a defensive relapse from the hosts, but his goal-bound shot was well blocked by Manto before Mapemba’s rocket that went wide.
Chances were very few in this half, with Maxwell Phodo coming closer to breaking the deadlock, but his header from a Chikumbutso Salima’s cross went over the crossbar for yet another goal kick for the visitors.
Four minutes were added to the clock after the end of the first 45 minutes and no team was able to make a breakthrough.
After the recess, it only took three minutes for Bullets to break the deadlock. Two back-to-back corner-kicks created the goal for the defending champions when, after conceding the second corner-kick, the hosts failed to regroup, allowing Collin Mujuru to send a very dangerous cross that was just too much for Precious Mlotiwa to handle and from the rebound, Babatunde capitalized to put Bullets in the lead, 0-1.
Moments later, the scoreline was doubled in the 52nd minute. Salima made a brilliant run to the far right before sending an excellent pass into the 18-yard box that found Gumbo unmarked and the attacking midfielder wasted no time by hitting the ball with power, beating Mlotiwa to his left-hand side, 0-2.
These two quick goals unsettled the hosts who were nowhere near Bullets as they defended too deep to avoid further damage.
However, Bangwe had an opportunity in the 60th minute when Kondwani Chilembwe created a shooting space closer to the penalty box before firing at the goal to force Richard Chimbamba into making his first serious save of the match.
Chilembwe and Tambwali were replaced By Josiah Duwa and Gregory Mwase to try to add firepower in the search for at least a goal and possibly force something out of the game.
After 63 minutes of play, Phodo and Mujuru were replaced by Blessings Mpokera and Stanley Billiat while Shukran Goba was replaced by Gregory Mwase for the hosts.
In the 70th minute, Bangwe almost scored when a low cross swerved past Chimbamba before going out of the field of play as no one from the hosts made a follow-up to pounce on the visitors.
Ephraim Kondowe and Kenneth Pasuwa came in for Babatunde and Frank Willard who took a knock and being someone coming from a long-term injury, Pasuwa had to replace him as part of managing his recovery.
There was another chance for Bullets in the 85th minute through Billiat who fired straight at Mlotiwa. The midfielder was found unmarked to the far end of the field by Kondowe.
Bullets’ final chance came in the additional minutes when Salima’s cross found Kondowe inside the box but he headed wide and after 90 minutes of play, Bullets claimed all the points to move up to fourth in the standings with 23 points while Bangwe All Stars are stuck in the bottom three with 9 points. Both teams have played 15 games.
Elsewhere, Mafco FC came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Civil Service United at Chitowe Stadium. Muhammad Biyason and China Chirwa scored for Civil while Mphatso Philemon and Auspicious Kadzongola netted for the Salima-based soldiers.
Mafco FC is 7th in the standings with 21 points while Civil is just a point below with 20 points. Both teams have played 15 games.
At Karonga, Chimwemwe Chunga cancelled out a 15th-minute strike from Blessings Mwalilino to share a point each.
The hosts are 11 with 19 points while Hammers are third with 25 points.
