FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Gilbert Chirwa has confirmed the latest squad situation ahead of Sunday’s FDH Bank Premiership clash against Mighty Wanderers at Bingu National Stadium.
The encounter will mark the 80th Blantyre derby and the second meeting between the two sides this season following the NBS Bank Charity Shield meeting at the same venue three weeks ago.
Chirwa confirmed that former Wanderers centre-back Ahamad Kung’unde, midfielders Frank Willard and Mike Mkwate, as well as wingback Chrispin Mapemba are currently unavailable as they continue recovering from injuries.
Kung’unde joined Bullets from Wanderers last month but is yet to feature competitively for The People’s Team due to injury.
“There’s Ahamad Kung’unde who’s still nursing an injury, while Frank Willard, Mike Mkwate and Chrispin Mapemba are also recovering,” said Chirwa.
Chirwa had confirmed during his pre-match press conference ahead of the MAFCO FC fixture that Mkwate had returned to training, but revealed on Thursday that the midfielder suffered a setback.
“Mkwate was back ahead of the MAFCO match, he trained twice, and he went back. The same injury, he started feeling pain,” he added.
Chirwa also addressed the absence of midfielder Madalitso Safuli from the club’s matchday squads in the opening three fixtures of the season.
Safuli returned to Bullets ahead of the 2026/27 campaign following a loan spell at Mzuzu City Hammers, where he impressed during his time with the Northern Region side.
The coach stressed that squad selection remains performance-based, with competition for places high across the team.
“As coaches we look at the performance of players at training, they compete and we come up with a selection,” explained Chirwa.
“If he impresses coaches then we select him, if he doesn’t then we don’t. It also depends on the type of opposition we’re meeting, and they fight and if he impresses them surely that week we pick him, but if his friends have done better it means we chose those who have done better.
“There are so many games, cup games and league games, surely he will appear,” he added.
