Ahead of our Airtel Top 8 Cup semifinal clash against Karonga United at Bingu National Stadium on Saturday evening, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Peter Mponda addressed the media in Blantyre on Thursday morning.
He spoke on a number of key topics, including Clyde Senaji’s absence, preparations for the semifinal, the potential return of Peter Banda, and the dressing room atmosphere following the Blantyre derby.
Below are key highlights from his briefing:
On preparations for Saturday’s game
“Preparations have gone very well and we’re happy with how things are shaping up. Apart from Chrispin Mapemba, who is still recovering from a long-term injury he suffered in this competition last season, everyone is available. We’re looking forward to Saturday.”
On facing Karonga United
“Karonga is a good side—compact, organised, and dangerous on the wings. We can’t afford to underestimate them; that would be risky.
I’m happy with how the team responded after the derby loss. Against Mighty Tigers, we showed character in a difficult match and came out with a solid win. We want to build on that performance this weekend.”
On Peter Banda’s status
“Peter is back training and doing well, but he’s still working on his fitness after months out. He hasn’t had game time yet—even in friendlies—so it’s still 50-50. He looks ready, but we’ll wait for the medical team’s final word.”
On Clyde Senaji’s absence
“There’s been a lot of noise on social media, but here’s the truth: While I was away with the national team, I was told he had the flu. He recovered but didn’t return to training, saying he needed to speak to me. When we met, he said he went to the office to request leave.
We’re in the middle of the season—why would a player request leave without an emergency?
Honestly, last season he played fewer than 12 games. Is he a key player? I don’t think so. I even made him captain this season, but due to issues, we gave the armband to Lloyd Aaron. As an international player, you need to offer more than local players.
We’re still waiting for him to return so we can discuss things properly.”
On Lameck Gamphani
“He had an ankle injury, recovered, and returned to training. Then, out of nowhere, social media reports claimed he asked to leave the club. I haven’t heard that from the player. If anyone wants to leave, we won’t stand in their way—but we want players who want to fight for the badge.”
On Karonga’s complaint about playing under the lights
“It’s 2025—clubs shouldn’t be complaining about playing under floodlights. We also train during the day and have played under lights. This isn’t an advantage. What happens if their players are called to the national team? Will they refuse to play at night? It’s a non-issue.”
On Paul Master
“He’s a talented player but lacking match fitness after a long layoff at Blue Eagles. What we’ve seen in training is promising. Once his fitness improves, he’ll be ready to contribute.”
On the dressing room mood
“After the derby, the mood was low. Only Chikumbutso Salima showed real spark. But we moved on. Against Tigers, we worked hard even though we weren’t sharp in the final third. Still, we fought and got the result. That spirit is what we need going into Saturday.”
On fighting for both the league and Airtel Top 8
“Every competition matters. Saturday’s semifinal is big—we want to reach the final and win silverware. In the league, we’re leading by two points, but Wanderers have a game in hand. It’s still too early to talk about the title.”
On Yankho Singo
“He’s back training with us but not yet 100% fit. Unfortunately, he returned injured from national team duty. We’ll assess him further before deciding if he can feature.”
