…Nomads held, Hammers won…
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets can’t shoot anymore, their struggle to get results in the TNM Super League continued on yet another frustrating afternoon when they lost 2-1 to Karonga United at Karonga Stadium, in a match where they couldn’t even complete six passes.
The defending champions, who beat FOMO FC 3-0 last week, gave away a lead before they conceded the second goal to drop more points in the title race.
It was a game in which the hosts, being coached by Oscar Kaunda, also wanted to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat away to Mafco FC last week.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets suffered their second defeat in the 2024 season after they gave away a lead to lose 2-1 to Karonga United in the TNM Super League match played at Karonga Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Fresh from our comfortable 3-0 win over FOMO FC last week, Kalisto Pasuwa’s men thought his charges would record another league victory after they took a lead before the half-hour mark, but the visitors fought back to claim their second win over Bullets in the last seven meetings.
What happened
Pasuwa made three changes to the side that won last week, handing Sean McBrams and Yamikani Mologeni their first starts to his first eleven while Yankho Singo returned to the main team after being frozen out in the recent matches.
It was a promising start for Lloyd Aaron, who demonstrated his ability to win the midfield battle against Nanison Mbewe in the first minutes of the match.
However, Bullets struggled to adapt to the dry pitch and could hardly complete more than five passes, with the majority of action being secondary balls from both teams.
From the first whistle to twenty minutes into the half, there was no serious attempt at goal from either but Babatunde Adepoju should have headed in from a Chikumbutso Salima’s cross, but he blasted his effort over the crossbar.
At the other end, the hosts won two back-to-back corner-kicks, which were well dealt with by Innocent Nyasulu.
With 24 minutes played on the clock, Blessings Mwalilino had an opportunity to punish Bullets when he made his way into the penalty box, but his shot missed Nyasulu’s left-hand post with just an inch.
The defending champions broke the deadlock in the 28th minute through Babatunde, who capitalized on a defensive mix-up from the hosts, volleying past McLean Mwale who was defenceless, 0-1.
Pasuwa brought in Crispin Mapemba for McBrams to try to fix the left-side wing, which was our weakest point in the opening half.
This goal should have pushed Bullets to do more, but, they decided to play too deep inside their half, ending up inviting pressure from the hosts who were pressing from all angles in search of the much-needed equalizing goal which they eventually got in the third minute of the additional minutes.
A cross from Pilirani Thulu caught our centre backs napping, and there was no one to challenge for the ball that landed straight at Karonga’s dangerous man, Saulos Moyo who made no mistake to head past Nyasulu into the bottom left corner, 1-1.
After the recess, Blessings Mpokera came in for Mologeni. The visitors had two back-to-back corner kicks, which were wasted by Chikumbutso Salima.
62 minutes played, Babatunde had a chance to restore our lead, but his shot swerved past Mwale to the far side of the field where Mapemba was waiting to pounce on the hosts, but he sent his cross straight at Mwale.
The hosts were in front for the first time in the match. Substitute Robert Luhanga, who came in alongside Nuswe Mwalilino for Kasto Kayuni and Moyo, found Blessings Mwalilino in the penalty box after he beat the offside trap.
The lethal forward wasted no time by firing past Nyasulu to send the whole stadium into a frenzy, 2-1.
However, Bullets should have levelled in the 72nd minute when Babatunde was clear on sight, but he fired straight at Mwale inside the six-yard box.
Pasuwa brought in Stanley Billiat and Hassan Kajoke for Maxwell Phodo and Precious Sambani to try to push for the equalizer, but the hosts were all over the place, defending with everything to frustrate the visiting team.
At the other end, Mwalilima was denied by Nyasulu when Bullets’defensee was outnumbered by the high-pressing side, and from the rebound, a freekick was conceded by Luhanga after he fouled Nickson Nyasulu in the penalty box.
In the 85th minute, Mpokera’s cross almost caused havoc in Karonga’s penalty box, but Kajoke couldn’t come out of his comfort zone on time as he allowed Nangie Songa to make a timely clearance.
At this stage, signs of another defeat were visible and the hosts almost buried the game in the 86th minute when he received a million-dollar cross from Luhanga but with Nyasulu already beaten, he headed wide in unbelievable circumstances.
Three minutes were added to the clock, and Bullets threw everyone upfront, but a goal couldn’t come as the hosts defended with everything to claim all the points.
This is Bullets’ second league defeat this season, but our first away defeat in the current campaign.
They sit at 16 points behind log leaders in the title race.
At Silver Stadium, a late strike from Duncan Nyoni secured three points for Silver Strikers over a very resilient FOMO FC.
The Central Bankers created plenty of chances in the match, but the visitors were very organised in defence.
However, with 10 minutes to go, Nyoni broke the deadlock with a clinical finish to extend their unbeaten run to 13 games and open up an 11-point lead over the second-placed Mighty Mukuru Wanderers who played out to a goalless draw away to Mafco FC.
At Mzuzu Stadium, Wongani Lungu’s second-half strike inspired Mzuzu City Hammers to a hard-fought 1-0 win over Chitipa United. The result sees Hammers moving third with 24 points from 14 games.
As for Chitipa, they are still stuck in the bottom three with nine points from the same number of games.
Pic credit: Bullets and Silver Strikers media
