Peter Mponda has shared his thoughts ahead of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets’ second-round opener against Chitipa United this Saturday.
Addressing the club media on Thursday, the head coach discussed the atmosphere in Chitipa, limited training sessions, the team’s defensive focus, player updates, and his expectations going into the clash as The People’s Team look to start the second half of the TNM Super League campaign on a strong note.
On Returning to Chitipa Stadium
“We played here for the first time last Sunday against Chilumba Barracks in the FDH Bank Cup. It’s not a bad pitch, but it’s not to our standards. We managed it, that game is gone, and now we are focusing on Chitipa United.”
On Facing Chitipa at Their New Home
“We have already started experiencing a hostile atmosphere. It’s not so good as we haven’t been allowed to do all our training sessions, but luckily, we had one on Wednesday and we will have another on Friday.
“We know what’s coming ahead in terms of atmosphere from the home fans. They will try to intimidate us, but we have got senior players, and this is a big team that commands a huge following everywhere we go. We feel that the supporters will rally behind us and help us carry the day.”
On Confidence from the Chilumba Barracks Win
“It was a very good performance even though we feel we could have scored more goals. Defensively, we were found wanting, but we will try to rectify that because in many games that we have played, we have conceded through set pieces. We are working to improve on that.”
On Starting the Second Round Strong
“It was a very disappointing end to the first-round campaign, but we bounced back with a good win [when we played Chilumba]. We have been talking to the players, and as I indicated, most of the goals we conceded came from set pieces.
“Against Wanderers, against Civil, even against Karonga—two of their goals came from deflections, and the third equaliser was another set piece. We can’t point fingers, but as coaches we know our weaknesses and we are working hard to correct them.
“Coming into the second round, we want to start on a high note. Yes, we know we will be playing under difficult conditions, but we believe that at the end of 90 minutes, we are going to get three points.”
On Facing an In-Form Chitipa United
“I think two teams are fighting different battles. We are trying to get to the top of the table while our opponents are trying to run away from relegation. So both sides have different motivations. We are coming from a disappointing result, but we want to keep improving and keep going forward.”
On Key Areas to Improve
“More especially at the back, we need to be solid. We’ve conceded fewer goals through open play, but set pieces have been our biggest weakness. We are trying to tighten that by being more aggressive in defending set plays.”
On Bright Munthali and Khumbo Banda
“Bright is still working on his fitness. Yes, we gave him some minutes, and he tried his level best. As for Khumbo, he was very solid. I think he is one player who will help us defensively and improve our weaknesses.”
On Squad Depth and Fixture Congestion
“We are happy that some of the players on the injury list are now coming back [with Blessings Mpokera and Andrew Jovinala training fully with the rest of the group]. We are entering a congested period where games will come midweeks and weekends. We need to rotate the squad and ensure everyone is available.”
On the new IFAB Rules Implemented by FAM
“I don’t think they will have much effect. We just have to abide by the rules. Initially, a goalkeeper was holding the ball for six seconds, now it’s eight. But when teams want to waste time, they delay with injuries or goal kicks.What we need to do is score early goals to halt their delaying tactics and avoid wasting time. For us, there isn’t much difference.”
