FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Under-19 suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Griffin Young Stars in the Blantyre District Youth Football League at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday morning.
Played under clear skies, the fixture served as a curtain-raiser for the first team’s TNM Super League clash against Karonga United later in the afternoon. It brought together two energetic sides eager to impress in front of the home crowd.
For the young Maule, it was another step in their development campaign, with head coach Yamikani Fodya rotating his squad to give more players valuable minutes. The visitors arrived determined to test Bullets on home turf, setting the stage for a competitive battle.
First Half Action
Both sides began cautiously, looking to settle early. Clear chances were hard to come by until the 27th minute when Griffin’s Alexis Malunga broke the deadlock.
Bullets responded instantly, with Charles Kasalanga levelling just two minutes later. The hosts pushed for a second but found Griffin’s defence hard to break.
In the 40th minute, Bullets dealt well with a Griffin corner before surviving a stoppage-time free kick that went wide, leaving the game 1-1 at the break.
Second Half Action
At the restart, Fodya introduced Yusuf Chambakata for Duncan John and Osman George for Jazeel Banet. Bullets began on the front foot, creating three chances in five minutes but failing to convert.
A Griffin free kick was cleared before the visitors made their own change in the 50th minute. Soon after, Bullets brought on Kelvin Phiri for Thole Sachenja and Gomezgani Maziya for Kasalanga.
Maziya almost struck immediately, firing just over from close range. Moments later, Bullets were denied by the crossbar from a corner, with the ball swerving out for a goal kick.
Despite dominating possession, Bullets couldn’t find the breakthrough. Griffin, with their only real second-half chance, saw Malunga grab his second in the 78th minute to regain the lead.
The young Maule pushed in the final minutes of the 80-minute contest, with two minutes of stoppage time added, but Griffin held firm for the win.
Coach’s Reaction
Speaking after the match, head coach Yamikani Fodya reflected on his side’s display:
“We lost today, but I’m proud of the boys because they did many things right. They controlled the game, but one mistake cost us, and credit to Griffin for taking their chances. This is part of the learning process. Even if we had scored many goals, there would still be lessons to take from the match. The communication between our defenders and the goalkeeper wasn’t at the level we want, so we’ll go back to training and work on those areas. There’s no pressure on them — our priority is their development. The trophies will come in time.”
