FCB Nyasa Big Bullets completed their third Airtel Top 8 Cup in four seasons with a victory over Silver Strikers in front of a packed Bingu National Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Ernest Petro’s 71st-minute strike was enough to seal the victory for Kalisto Pasuwa’s men, who, some weeks ago, lost their FDH Bank Cup title to Blue Eagles at the same venue.
But how did Pasuwa get it right this time around? We analyse how the defending champions walked away from the stadium with their trophy.
Pasuwa came dressed for this important with one thing in mind: beating Peter Mponda, who collected three points when the two teams met at Kamuzu Stadium in a league encounter.
This marked the beginning of a tough start to their campaign that saw them dropping unnecessary points in the title race, and this cup final placed them as underdogs against a formidable side that has enjoyed football this campaign.
Bullets have arguably never been such underdogs in a final, not against Mponda’s side, not against Meck Mwase’s Mighty Mukuru Wanderers. They did not just win against Mponda’s side. They won competently. Pasuwa had a game plan that wasn’t based on chaos.
They had been a long way away from Pasuwa’s masterclass. They got one. It was a reminder of last year when he seemed pragmatic, tactically astute, and a coach with the ability to beat the best; and it wasn’t a surprise to see him winning a quadruple.
Because Bullets had a midfield. It isn’t normally news, but this is a team that had tended to press high with a low block, who were stretched from one end of the pitch to the other with a massive gap in between the sections of the side, was suddenly compact.
They had two blocks of three shielding a back four. They limited Silver’s to having no shot at goal in the entire first half. Even when they were subjected to an onslaught in the second half, they had players behind the ball, commitment, conviction, and cohesion.
It helped, too, that they had a counter-attacking pace. Pasuwa had a strategy that, in different ways, produced the goal. As Bullets’ season has been an exercise in the bizarre, Petro’s goal felt fitting.
There was a tactical of using their midfield to thwart Idana’s aggressiveness when in possession, directing balls over Silver’s defence to Babatunde and Crispin Mapemba before he got injured early in the match.
Yet Bullets have recent evidence of a shocking defeat to Blue Eagles in the FDH Bank Cup. Could the team that lost to a Premier Division side hold on to a smaller advantage against the current best team in the country? Yes, even if it was halved late on.
There were points when Bullets were so focused on defence that they had no outlet, no one within yards of Petro’s goal. There was, perhaps, the initial fillip that they negotiated the whole match without conceding, in itself an improvement on last year’s final in which they conceded a goal to beat Mafco 2-1.
Many attacks formed via midfield (produced by Bullets midfield box), then allowing them to hit wide areas in transition. This split Zebron Kalima and Idana’s pressing duties, allowing Petro, Yankho Singo, and Wongani Lungu to play close together in central zones and, on occasion, Lungu could drop in unopposed to pick up the ball between Silver’s front two and midfield line.
Yankho Singo’s influence
As usual, the defensive midfielder was outstanding, making important tackles, more interceptions, key passes, winning more ground duels, and covering distance to frustrate the Bankers from penetrating Bullets’s defensive zone.
He produced yet another excellent performance for Bullets, making himself a nuisance out of possession, cutting off central progression with the help of Wongani Lungu and Petro from the front, forcing turnovers and then delivering pieces of quality to provide Bullets with the much-needed cover to minimise Silver’s pace in the final third.
Other key factors
Other factors that deserve a mention: firstly, Alick Lungu was absolutely class and technically astute on the ball. That quality and composure to take the ball under pressure allowed Bullets to progress into the advanced areas whilst holding the ball, giving his teammates chances to get into more advantageous positions.
His assist was another masterclass, delivering the ball straight to Petro, who produced a powerful header to win it for Bullets.
Someone else who played a part coming from the bench was Chikumbutso Salima. His hold-up play, chasing loose balls, winning fouls, and giving Bullets an outlet towards the end of the game allowed them to get reset out of possession, step up, and take a breather.
That sort of fast winger play is huge when under the cosh during a game, and when Silver started to get on top, he was the much-needed ‘out ball’ for the People’s Team, relieving pressure at every opportunity.
Salima was just very unfortunate not to provide an assist as his dangerous delivery into the box met Babatunde Adepoju, who failed to convert the chance into a goal when the goalmouth was wide open.
As for Mponda, his biggest mistake was to pull out Uchizi Vunga, who was doing a wonderful job in the midfield. His absence was felt as Levison Maganizo was sitting too deep to invite pressure from Bullets.
The Central Bankers were outnumbered by Singo, Frank Willard, and Lloyd Aaron to protect Bullets’s lead.
Overall, Bullets deserved the win. Pasuwa got it spot on, and the players carried the plan out perfectly.
