The first round of our 2026/27 FDH Bank Premiership campaign began with inconsistency and too many points left on the table.
Fifteen matches later, we have finished the opening phase with eight wins, six draws and one defeat.
Our 5-0 victory over Silver Strikers at Mpira Stadium brought the first round to a memorable close, taking us to 30 points, 20 goals scored, seven conceded and a plus-13 goal difference.
The result also secured second place in the first-round standings, with the Blue Eagles–Mighty Wanderers fixture on 19 September determining which side finishes above us.
A start full of dropped points
Our opening six matches produced two wins alongside four draws.
We began with a 2-2 draw against Civil Service United before beating MAFCO FC 1-0 at Joyce Chitsulo Stadium in our first-ever top-flight match at the Mwanza venue.
A 2-1 Blantyre Derby victory over Mighty Wanderers at Bingu National Stadium followed, with Blessings Mpokera and Maxwell Phodo on target.
Two more draws, against Red Lions and Blue Eagles, preceded a stoppage-time equaliser from George Chaomba that rescued a point against Moyale Barracks.
After six matches, we had 10 points.
We had shown that we could compete, but were not yet converting enough promising performances into victories.
A change on the touchline
The first round also brought a change in our technical leadership.
Gilbert Chirwa departed the club by mutual consent in late May, with Heston Munthali taking charge on an interim basis before Wedson Nyirenda was unveiled as our new head coach on 10 June.
The Zambian tactician signed a two-year contract, beginning a new phase for the team with a clear focus on restoring confidence, developing a winning mentality and challenging for honours.
The Nyirenda effect
Our first league match under Nyirenda ended in a 2-1 victory over Kamuzu Barracks at Civo Stadium, before another narrow win against Masters FC at Mpira Stadium.
Kondowe scored in both matches, and we had finally put together consecutive league victories.
The momentum continued against Creck Sporting Club, where Kondowe scored twice in a 2-0 victory to make it three wins in succession.
The winning run changed the rhythm of our campaign.
Progress was not always measured in wins
Our meeting with Ekhaya FC ended goalless before Goshen City Dedza Dynamos handed us our first league defeat of the season at Dedza Stadium.
It was our first setback under Nyirenda, but our response was immediate.
Mpokera converted an 80th-minute penalty against Chitipa United before Clever Kalambo struck two minutes later for a 2-0 victory.
Kondowe then scored the winner against Karonga United, finishing from a Yamikani Mologeni delivery, before we drew 0-0 with Luanar Mitundu.
By then, the improvement at the back was becoming increasingly evident. We had conceded only seven goals in our first 14 matches and recorded three consecutive clean sheets.
Five-star finish as Kondowe finds his rhythm
Silver Strikers arrived at Mpira Stadium as league leaders on 29 points. We entered the match with 27 points and in fourth place.
Kondowe needed less than a minute to put us ahead before doubling the advantage before half-time. Wongani Lungu added a third before the break.
The forward completed his hat-trick in the second half, while Misheck Billiat added a fifth in the 70th minute.
The 5-0 victory was our biggest league win of the campaign, taking us to 30 points and securing second place at the end of our 15 matches.
Kondowe’s rise was one of the defining individual stories of the second half of the campaign.
He scored against Kamuzu Barracks, Masters FC, Creck Sporting Club and Karonga United before producing his hat-trick against Silver Strikers.
His three goals against the league leaders earned him the Player of the Match award and underlined the attacking confidence he had built as the campaign progressed.
Mologeni was another standout performer, earning consecutive Player of the Match awards against Kamuzu Barracks and Masters FC before assisting Kondowe’s winner against Karonga United.
Building from the back
Our improvement was not limited to the goals we were scoring.
Innocent Nyasulu continued to provide security in goal as the defensive unit around him grew in consistency. Mologeni, Mpokera, Emmanuel Kaunga, Prince Chiumia and others helped establish a stronger foundation.
The clean sheet against Silver Strikers took our total to eight.
For a campaign that began with four draws in its opening six matches, that defensive stability became an important part of our progress.
The pathway from within
The first round also offered further evidence of the value of our development structure.
Chiumia and Billiat continued to make their mark at senior level after progressing through the club’s development pathway, while Kondwani Tebulo was recalled from the Reserves and made his first start against Silver Strikers.
With Chiumia suspended, Tebulo stepped in at left wing-back and played his part in a performance that produced a clean sheet and five goals.
These moments remain important to our identity. Our first team continues to provide a platform for players who have developed within our own system to take their opportunities.
Reinforcements for the second round
The squad will have further options when the second round begins.
Liberian midfielder Sheku Sheriff and Zimbabwean forward Tinaye Tsimba were cleared ahead of the second phase after missing the Silver Strikers fixture.
George Chaomba also returned from injury before the final match, while Paul Master continued his rehabilitation and Chrispin Mapemba remained sidelined.
Competition for places will only increase.
The numbers after 15 matches
| 8 | Wins |
| 6 | Draws |
| 1 | Defeat |
| 30 | Points |
| 20 | Goals scored |
| 7 | Goals conceded |
| +13 | Goal difference |
| 8 | Clean sheets |
From a slow start to a strong position
For much of the first round, the description of a struggling Bullets side remained part of the wider conversation, even as our results began to change.
Our record now provides a fuller picture.
Four draws from the opening six matches shaped the early phase.. Three consecutive victories shifted the momentum, while the defeat to Goshen City was followed by an unbeaten run that included wins over Chitipa United and Karonga United.
Three successive clean sheets then preceded the emphatic 5-0 victory over Silver Strikers.
We now enter the second round in second place, within touching distance of the summit and with the lessons of the opening phase behind us.
The first round has given us a stronger platform. Now comes the challenge of taking the next step.
