Zicco Mkanda struck twice as Nyasa Big Bullets cruised to a 6-0 victory over TN Stars in the TNM Super League at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was a must-win match for Bullets who were looking to reduce the gap against league leaders Silver Strikers by six points at the end of the first-round.
Kalisto Pasuwa selected a much-changed side that included debutant Alick Lungu as well as Blessings Mpokera, Chiukepo Msowoya, Chimango Kayira and Chimwemwe Idana.
There was nothing much to write about during the opening ten minutes and notable moment came after 12 minutes when Gomezgani Chirwa was set through by Chimwemwe Idana but the right back’s shot was well saved by Blackson Kotie for a throw in which resulted into nothing.
The hosts were controlling ball possession but nearly conceded in the 16th minute when Laurent Banda made his way into the right flank before releasing a shot which was saved by Richard Chimbamba.
As pressure kept on mounting on the visitors, Bullets opened the scoring in the 23rd minute in a brilliant fashion, with a move from Chirwa to Mkwate set up Msowoya who laid off Idana to smash past Kotie into the bottom corner, 1-0.
Lungu should have made it 2-0 when he was found unmarked inside the penalty box, but his shot just missed the goal with an inch.
In the 30th minute, Idana nearly doubled his tally when he was set up by Mkwate only to fire wide with the goalkeeper already beaten.
The People’s Team were able to double their lead in the 35th minute from the spot following a handball in the box by Mike Milanzi and Kajoke stepped up to slot the ball past Kotie, 2-0.
The goals should have been more in the half but the home side lacked the finishing composure to completely put the game beyond the visitors’ reach.
At half time, Pasuwa brought in Zicco Mkanda for Msowoya.
From the word go, Bullets looked more likely to score more goals in the final half and did so in style in the 52nd minute when Mkanda set up Chirwa who made no mistake to volley past substitute goalkeeper Grecian Kazembe into the back of the net, 3-0.
Mkanda turned from a provider to a scorer when he brilliantly volleyed past Kazembe in the 56th minute after receiving a shot pass from Sambani inside the 18-yard box.
In the 58th minute, Pasuwa pulled out Lungu for McFallen Mgwira while China Chirwa came in for Gift Chunga for the visitors.
The defending champions should have scored their fifth goal in the 67th minute when Idana beat the offside trap to find Kajoke in the six-yard box but the forward missed the glorious opportunity with the goal wide open when he only needed a simple tap in to put the ball into the net.
Kajoke and Idana were replaced by Stainley Biliat and Ernest Petro.
Bullets were able to add more misery to the visitors in the 77th minute when Mkanda made a simple tap in from Mgwira’s through-ball to make it 5-0.
Towards the end of the match, Yamikani Fodya came in for Chirwa and Bullets nearly scored another goal in the 86th minute through Mgwira who blasted his effort over the cross bar after some good delivery from Mkwate.
However, Mgwira collected his mistake when he scored in the 90th minute to make it 6-0 in favor of the hosts when he received a ball from Billiat.
The win means Bullets have finished the first round in the second position with 29 points against Silver’s 35.
The result also means Bullets have registered five wins out of five meetings with the Kasungu-based side, who have now conceded 18 goals from the defending champions since joining the elite league in 2018.
