FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves suffered a 2-0 defeat to city rivals Mighty Wanderers Reserves in the first mini-Blantyre derby of the 2025 ThumbsUp Southern Region Football League on Monday afternoon.
Second-half goals at Mpira Stadium sealed the victory for the hosts, leaving The People’s Team to endure back-to-back league losses, dropping to third place in the standings.
First Half Action
The junior Nomads started brightly, pressing high from the opening whistle. In the 8th minute, they earned a corner, but Lemani Kasiya’s effort sailed just wide.
Bullets gradually settled into the contest, with Misheck Billiat coming close to breaking the deadlock, only to see his shot drift past the post. Oscar Petro delivered a teasing cross in the 25th minute, but no one was on hand to connect, while Mtende Mayuni also whipped in a dangerous ball moments later.
In the 32nd minute, Bullets won a corner, with Vincent Kampira finding Kondwani Tebulo, but his header flew over the bar. Wanderers responded with another Kasiya set piece two minutes later, which again went wide.
Julius Banda kept Bullets in the game in the 38th minute with a superb reflex save before Zaneel Jussab cleared the resulting corner. An enforced change came just before the break, with Prince Chiumia replacing the injured Jussab on 44 minutes. The first half ended goalless.
Second Half Action
The hosts began the second half much like the first, earning an early corner which Blessings Saiti connected with, but Banda gathered comfortably.
Bullets had a promising moment in the 53rd minute when Billiat won a free kick, but Kampira’s delivery was cleared.
Wanderers broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when Tswan Malizani combined neatly with Saiti before slotting home. Moments later, they doubled their advantage through Stain Mitengera, who capitalised on a defensive mix-up between the Bullets backline and goalkeeper Banda.
With the hosts in control, they forced two quick corners in the 65th minute, both failing to trouble the target. Bullets responded with a double change, introducing midfielder Enos Hendeman and goalkeeper Ganizani Banda for Kondwani Mhone and the injured Julius Banda.
Billiat had another opportunity in the 78th minute but failed to hit the target, while Tebulo went close twice late on — first from a free kick over the bar in the 82nd minute, and then narrowly missing the near post after a quick set-piece from Chiumia.
Despite creating several openings, Bullets Reserves were undone by two decisive second-half moments that swung the derby in favour of their city rivals. The result will serve as a reminder of the fine margins in these high-pressure fixtures, with the team now focused on responding strongly in their next outing.
What Next
The defeat leaves our Reserves in third place as the first round nears its conclusion. Their final fixture of the round will see them take on Liberty FC in a crucial clash where they will be aiming to bounce back, end their losing streak, and regain momentum heading into the second half of the season.
