FCB Nyasa Big Bullets were left frustrated by Creck Sporting Club’s defensive approach to the Airtel Top 8 Cup quarterfinal first-leg played at Kamuzu Stadium that ended goallessly on Saturday afternoon.
This means Bullets have to work extra hard in the return leg to keep their hopes of retaining the title alive.
Being the first-ever meeting between the two teams in a knockout competition, the signs of a tough afternoon for the defending champions were there as they registered no attempt in the entire first half.
Nevertheless, Peter Mponda’s men put up a gallant fight to force something out of the match, but their opponents had a clear game plan of frustrating the hosts ahead of the return leg later this month.
What happened
Straight from the opening league match victory over Silver Strikers last week, Mponda made four changes to his team as he handed starts to Hassan Kajoke, Henry Chiwaya, Innocent Nyasulu, and Ephraim Kondowe.
It was a clash that served up a game that lacked goals but was high in tactical quality.
In terms of dominance, the hosts dominated possession, but as the minutes wore on, it became clear that it would require more than just pace to crack open Creck’s well-organised defence.
In what was the first half of a few chances, the closest any team came to a goal was when George Chaomba had his shot from close range blocked by Blessings Joseph in the 40th minute.
With the diminutive but highly magisterial Lloyd Aaron pulling strings in midfield, Bullets did most of the running, but surprisingly, there was no serious attempt at goal from the hosts, who were able to pass the ball around, but did so little in the final third.
Overall, it was Joseph Kamwendo’s men who had two chances in the first half, including Bayo Fatayo’s long-range effort just outside the penalty box that went over the crossbar.
After the recess, Mponda brought in Yamikani Mologeni and Mike Mkwate for Kondowe and Henry Chiwaya. This was a tactical change as he overloaded the midfield and used Kajoke as a lone striker in a diamond formation.
The entire final half belonged to Bullets, who were in total control of ball possession, and they reduced their opposition to a more defensive team as they played too deep in their half to avoid conceding a goal.
The visitors, with the return league at their home, were happy to slow down the game and selectively pick apart Bullets’s defence for the better of the match.
Bullets had a clear chance in the 52nd minute when Wongani Lungu found Kajoke unmarked, but in a one-on-one situation with Brighton Munthali, the forward fired straight at the shot-stopper who came out top to produce a massive save. That was a decisive moment in the game because had the ball gone in, Creck would have abandoned their defensive approach to the game.
Kajoke had another chance in the 56th minute when he was at the receiving end of a beautiful cross from Lungu, but the forward saw his attempt to miss Munthali’s left-hand side post with an inch
As Bullets kept on pressing for a goal, Kamwendo made a triple substitution when he brought in Isaac Msiska, Hassan Hussein, and Frank Phiri, replacing Fatayo, Babangida Ishaya and Arnold Kiyama to try to catch Bullets on the counter and possibly score a goal that would advantage them ahead of the return leg.
Mponda’s men were able to pass the ball around, but they failed to make any breakthrough as Creck Sporting Club closed all the spaces.
Frank Mupanzi and Akuzike Lifa came in for Chaomba and Stain Patrick in the 76th minute.
The visitors almost capitalized on two mistakes from Nyasulu, but the shot-stopper made amends to correct his mistakes.
With nine minutes left, Mponda brought in Babatunde Adepoju and Maxwell Phodo for Kajoke and Yankho Singo.
Despite Bullets’s push for a goal, the visitors defended well to hold the defending champions to a frustrating goalless draw ahead of the second leg in Lilongwe.
The visitors weren’t quite played off the park but counterpunched in a quietly classy manner that will give Bullets some sleepless nights when they meet again for the second leg away from home.
What it means…
The goalless draw in the competition means Bullets have recorded their fourth 0-0 draw in the knockout tournament, having played out to a goalless draw against Silver Strikers in the return leg of the 2017 season, Moyale Barracks in the return leg of the 2018 season and the return leg of the 2024 season against Civil Service United.
What’s next…
The People’s Team will host Creck Sporting Club in the TNM Super League on Wednesday at the same venue.
The other quarterfinal matches will be played next week.
