Kalisto Pasuwa responded to questions after FCB Nyasa Big Bullets defeated Silver Strikers 1-0 on Saturday afternoon to win the Airtel Top 8 Cup at the Bingu National Stadium.
Ernest Petro grabbed the winner for The People’s Team with 20 minutes remaining on the clock as Pasuwa’s men successfully retained the trophy.
Providing his thoughts about the game, Pasuwa said the Airtel Top 8 final was more tactical.
“It was a very tactical game where most of the time, in the first half, we were trying to play in spaces and the opposition at times dominating play, but going in the sides.
“But coming up in the second half, we tried to push up numbers in our attacking, and we had one of the crosses, and we got a goal. We also missed another one, which was a clear seater from one of our strikers [Babatunde Adepoju], but that’s how football is.
“This was a cup game where you don’t need to play beautiful football, but you need a result at the end of the day. Hence, we won it,” he commented.
The tactician described the victory as a defining moment after his team failed to defend the FDH Bank Cup following a penalty shootout defeat against Blue Eagles.
“That’s one area which I have been talking about to say Bullets won everything last season, and all of the sudden, in three months, those players were bad to the extent of being number 11 in the league and maybe failing to have two to three wins when they are playing, and we have been trying to find out what is it that we were making wrong, but I can see the boys are coming up, giving each other confidence. This victory is a defining moment for the boys who have done a lot for this club,” explained Pasuwa.
Despite the win, Pasuwa was not happy with the match official’s lack of action when Chrispin Mapemba was deliberately injured.
“This is something that we are very much worried about. Football is improving, but the officiating sometimes leaves someone wondering what is happening. I am not saying we should have to be referees, but some of these tackles are dangerous, and we need to protect the players. Remember, you have been asking me why there are so many injuries on my team. You saw that boy got injured, not even a yellow card from the referee, despite seeing everything. That’s how most of the players missing this year were being injured, and it’s a call for concern. We also need to sit down and see how best we can sort it out,” Pasuwa voiced his concern.
Providing an update on Mapemba’s injury, Pasuwa said, “I am yet to be updated, but I saw him running around, but he had a swollen ankle after that tackle.”
The People’s Team has won the 2024 Airtel Top 8 Cup without conceding a goal, having scored five goals and keeping clean sheets in all four matches.
By winning the trophy, Bullets became the first team to defend it after winning it last season. The win also means Pasuwa’s charges have won it three times, becoming the most successful team in the competition since its launch in 2017.
