FCB Nyasa Big Bullets have won the Blantyre Derby against their cross-town rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers in the TNM Super League following a 2-1 victory at Kamuzu Stadium on a hot Saturday afternoon.
Points aside, the stakes were high as the two teams went into the match chasing Silver Strikers in the title race.
For Wanderers, it was about redemption after they lost 1-0 to Karonga United last week while Bullets, who have been struggling for points in their quest for the 18th League title, was about reducing the gap with the Central Bankers in the title race.
The two teams made surprise changes to their starting line-ups, with Meck Mwase handing starts to Adam Wallace and Dan Kudonto while Kalisto Pasuwa included Wongani Lungu, and Yamikani Mologeni in his line-up.
Bullets looked the sharper of the two as they broke the deadlock in the 6th minute when Yankho Singo delivered a cross into Wanderers’s defensive zone to Babatunde Adepoju who played a fast one on Ahamad Kung’unde before the ball found Ronald Chitiyo in the 18-yard box.
The midfielder, starting his first Blantyre Derby, controlled the ball before firing at goal to beat William Thole, who was completely defenceless.
In the 10th minute, Crispin Mapemba delivered yet another dangerous cross through a set piece, which almost caught Thole off guard, but the shot-stopper did well to rescue the Nomads from conceding another goal with a brilliant save for yet another corner kick which was well defended by Lawrence Chaziya.
From the next ten minutes, Wanderers won two back-to-back set pieces closer to Bullets’ penalty box, but Stanley Sanudi’s attempt was cleared by Gomezgani Chirwa before Thierry Tajong Samar’s shot hit the wall.
At the other end, Maxwell Phodo had an opportunity to double Bullets’s lead when an exchange of passes between Lungu and Babatunde released the attacker who had only Thole to beat but his shot was well saved by the goalkeeper, and from the rebound, Chaziya made a timely clearance to concede another corner kick which was wasted by the visitors.
In the 28th minute, Blessings Singini replaced Kudonto for the Nomads who wanted to overload the midfield and possibly score to level the scoreline.
In terms of possession, the hosts were dominating, keeping the ball, but whenever they advanced into the final third, Pasuwa’s charges were winning the ball with ease.
The defending champions doubled their tally in the 40th minute in a brilliant fashion. Babatunde won the ball and wasted no time by finding Lungu in the box who rounded off Thole before setting up Babatunde, who made a simple tap-in, 0-2.
At this moment, Bullets were in total control, and they should have had another goal in the 44th minute when Salima sent a dangerous cross into the box to Babatunde, who fired at goal but Timothy Silwimba blocked the shot for a corner kick which they easily defended.
After the recess, it only took two minutes for Bullets to register a shot at goal in this half. Lungu set up Chitiyo, who fired at goal, but his attempt was saved by Thole, and from the rebound, Chaziya cleared the ball away from his area to concede yet another corner kick which was handled well by the shot-stopper.
Wanderers brought in Gaddie Chirwa and Francisco Madinga in the 60th minute for Stanley Sanudi and Isaac Kaliyati.
The Nomads had a chance to reduce the arrears in the 62nd minute when Yankho Singo fouled Madinga closer to Bullets’s penalty box.
Madinga stepped up and saw his shot hitting the post before being cleared away by Mapemba.
With 66 minutes played, Pasuwa brought in Stanley Billiat and Lloyd Aaron for Lungu and Chitiyo.
The situation would have gotten worse for Wanderers in the 68th minute when Mapemba’s delivery from a corner kick found Salima inside the six-yard box. The winger fired at goal, but his goal-bound shot was blocked by Kung’unde.
Mwase brought in Clement Nyondo and Bakilinho Mwakanyongo for Felix Zulu and Wallace in the 72nd minute while Precious Sambani came in for Salima in the 74th minute.
The hosts thought they had scored a goal in the 76th minute when Timothy Silwimba released a thunderous shot, which hit the post before going out of the field of play for a goal-kick, a clear indication of how frustrating the afternoon was for the Nomads.
It was now or never for Wanderers as the clock was ticking very fast against their quest to come back into the game while Bullets defended and attacked with the intent to maintain their two-goal advantage with ten minutes left to play in the match.
However, it went from bad to worse for Wanderers when Captain Chaziya was sent off for descent. The towering defender had committed a foul on Babatunde and referee David Chinoko awarded Bullets a set piece closer to the middle of the park.
But, the decision didn’t go well with the decision, and he pushed the referee in protest against Chinoko who wasted no time by flashing a second yellow card on the defender, reducing Wanderers to ten men.
However, Wanderers, despite being one man down, pressed and pulled one back in the 87th minute when Gomezgani Chirwa and Richard Chimbamba failed to communicate, allowing Thierry Tajong Samar to volley past the shot-stopper into the net, 1-2.
This goal meant one thing; a nervous ending to the final three minutes plus the additional minutes.
With two minutes left to play, Babatunde made a brilliant run before firing at goal, but his effort was well saved by Thole, and from the rebound, Silwimba blocked Billiat’s shot for a corner kick which was well defended by Thole.
Five minutes were added to the clock, with Wanderers pressing the acceleration pedal while Bullets regrouped and defended with numbers to protect their slender lead.
In the end, the People’s Team carried the day to move third in the standings with 40 points; ten points behind Silver, who will face Civil Service United at Silver Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
As for Wanderers, this defeat is a massive blow to their title ambitions as they have registered two back-to-back defeats, and if Silver wins on Sunday, the gap will be increased to nine points with seven games left to play.
The next assignment for Bullets is a home game against Dedza Dynamos on Thursday, while Wanderers will be in Karonga to play Chitipa United at Karonga Stadium on Wednesday.
At Mzuzu Stadium, the Mzuzu Derby between Moyale Barracks and Mzuzu City Hammers ended goalless. The result saw Hammers dropping out of the top three as they sit in the fourth position with 40 points while the soldiers are 7th in the table with 33 points. Both teams have played 24 games.
At Karonga Stadium, Chitipa United and Dedza Dynamos played out to an entertaining 2-2 draw.
Chitipa scored their goals through Ramadan Ntefu and Trouble Kajani while Marko Chiwaya and Edward Dakalira scored for Dynamos.
The result means Chitipa is still stuck in the relegation zone with 19 points from 23 games while Dynamos are 11th with 29 points from 24 games.
