FCB Nyasa Big Bullets broke Mighty Mukuru Wanderers’ record of scoring more goals in a single match in the Castel Challenge Cup when they hammered Kumanda All Stars 22-1 in the Round of 64 at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It’s also a new record in Malawian football as 22 goals were scored in a single match.
At the final whistle, The People’s Team eased into the next round with an emphatic victory, surpassing the previous record held by Wanderers who hammered Katete Rangers 10-1 at the same stage of the competition last season.
Gumbo netted eight times to lead the charge, with Phiri bagging six goals and Stanley Billiat pitching four goals while Salima scored a brace, with Chitiyo and Kondowe scoring a goal each.
What happened
Just two minutes into the match, Chitiyo headed past James Zozomela to put Bullets in the lead. He was found unmarked by a cross from Salima, 1-0.
That was the beginning of the hosts’ problems as Bullets netted five more goals in succession between the eighth minute and the twentieth minute.
Salima turned from a provider to a scorer in the 8th minute when he rounded off two defenders before firing past Zozomela to put the ball into the net, 0-2
Gumbo was the next to register his name on the scoresheet. The midfielder received an excellent pass from Salima in the 9th minute, 0-3.
Bullets made it 0-4 in the 14th minute. Salima was the architect of the goal with yet another excellent pass to Phiri, who made a simple tap-in to beat Zozomela, who could do nothing as the ball was rolling into the net.
However, the hosts were able to reduce the arrears in the 18th minute when Andrew Kaipa got the better of Nyasulu before firing past Chimbamba, 1-4.
But Bullets responded with yet another goal in the 20th minute through Gumbo who doubled his tally when he received an excellent pass from Phiri inside the penalty box, 1-5.
The visitors were not yet done with their opponents as they kept on pressing from all angles in search of more goals.
With 31 minutes played, Gumbo completed his hat-trick when his powerful header beat Zozomela to the left bottom corner to make it 1-6 in favour of Bullets.
Gumbo was the provider of Bullets’ 7th goal when his brilliant pass found Phiri unmarked, and the winger wasted no time by slotting the ball past Zozomela, who was defenceless.
Phiri completed his hat-trick in the 39th minute when he fired a low cross-shot past Zozomela from Gumbo’s pass inside the penalty box to make it 1-8
The visitors were showing no signs of slowing down as Salima doubled his tally with an excellent connection in the 41st minute from Crispin Mapemba’s cross, 1-9.
Two more goals followed in the additional minutes from Gumbo. He scored Bullets’ 10th goal in the first minute of the added minutes when took advantage of a defensive mix-up to slot the ball past Zozomela before completing the riot in the half with yet another goal in the final minute of the half with a powerful shot to make it 1-11.
After the recess, Kalisto Pasuwa brought in Billiat for Salima, who was feeling discomfort in his left leg.
Just like the way the first half ended, the final half started the same as Phiri welcomed the new goalkeeper, Yohane Mponda, with an excellent volley.
Five more goals followed from the 49th minute to the 60th minute.
Billiat registered his name on the scoresheet with a brilliant goal in the 49th minute when he received a good pass from Phiri to make it 13-1.
Phiri scored his fifth goal of the day when he made a simple tap-in from Gumbo’s pass.
Phiri completed his job for the day with a goal in the 59th minute. He capitalized on a blunder from Mponda’s failure to handle a long bouncing ball from Billiat.
And in the 60th minute, Billiat doubled his tally with a simple finish from Chitiyo’s pass to make it 16-1.
After 61 minutes of action, Luwani Sichinga replaced Isaac Mbote while Sean McBrams, Ephraim Kondowe and Mathews Masamba came in for Phiri, Chitiyo and Pasuwa.
Billiat completed his hat trick in the 70th minute when he capitalized on yet another blunder from Mponda who failed to handle a cross from McBrams, 17-1.
Pasuwa brought in Alick Lungu for Mapemba in the 71st minute. The left-back was out of action for a year after sustaining an injury during our Airtel Top 8 semifinal tie against Blue Eagles FC at Bingu National Stadium.
Kondowe scored his goal in the 76th minute when he connected well from Billiat’s pass, 18-1.
And in the 78th minute, Billiat made it 19-1. The winger finished off a pass from Kondowe inside the penalty box.
Gumbo made it 20-1 in favour of Bullets with yet another simple finish. The midfielder scored another goal in the 85th minute, beating Mponda to his near post.
Gumbo completed his good scoring form in the 88th minute from the spot when Kondowe was brought down in the box. This was Bullets’s first spot-kick in the 2024 season, and after the final whistle, 22-1, it ended.
