FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women continued their impressive start to the FAM Women’s Football National Championship title defence as they registered a 2-1 victory away to DD Sunshine at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday afternoon.
The two sides renewed their rivalry as they fought for full points, with the home side looking to extend their gap at the top of the table to six points as our women’s team needed a win to catch up with the Group A leaders.
It was indeed an intense encounter for both teams and fans, but it was Vanessa Chikupila and Fauzah Muhammad who topped the bill for Maule ladies.
Chikupila would have opened the day’s scoring in the 5th minute as she oozed past the blue ladies, unfortunately, she struck away from the goalpost.
The forward was at it again two minutes later as she got an opportunity to hit the target but her strike was stopped by the hosts’ goalkeeper Loggy Zidana to deny Maggie Chombo’s ladies an early lead.
Shalom Dzimawu had a chance at the stroke of the quarter-hour mark, but her effort went off target.
Wezzie Mvula had an opportunity to open the scoring for the home side in the 21st minute, however, her shot landed straight into our ‘keeper Martha Banda’s palms.
Andrew Chikhosi’s ladies continued knocking and this time it was Tionge Phiri, who aimed below the crossbar with a header that went scrolling off the target.
Bullets Women found the back of the net in the 36th minute when our second top goal scorer in the 2022 FAM Women’s Football Southern Region League, Chikupila shot past her opponents to beat Zidana, 0-1.
Three minutes before half-time, DD Sunshine were awarded a penalty following a handball in the area and Ireen Khumalo converted the spot-kick to get the home side level and end the opening half at 1-1.
Chombo was forced to replace goalkeeper Banda for Thoko Mwase in the early minutes of the second half due to an injury.
Bullets Women came looking for another goal, however, breaking DD Sunshine’s defence was a task until Muhammad struck in the 57th minute to restore their lead.
Laina James nearly registered her name on the scoresheet after an hour only to see her long-range effort whistling over the crossbar.
Muhammad almost recorded an assist in the dying minutes following her attempt to find Chikupila, but the striker was too late to attack and what a missed golden opportunity that could have given our ladies a third goal. So it ended 1-2 at the end of the 90 minutes.
Despite the victory, Bullets Women are still second in the standings, tied at six points with DD Sunshine, who are top of the group having a better goal aggregate.
The Lilongwe side has scored eight goals and conceded two, while our ladies have scored four and conceded one, with a game in hand as DD have played three games.
In the same Group A, Topik Sisters, who are bottom of the table, will host third-placed CY Sisters in the Mzuzu derby set for Sunday at Mzuzu Stadium.
