Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Kalisto Pasuwa believes teams will keep coming hard on his side hence The People’s Team needs to do more to keep producing results in the TNM Super League title defence.
He was reacting to Bullets’ hard-fought 2-1 victory over Civil Service Club at the Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Chiukepo Msowoya and Precious Sambani scored in each half to ensure Bullets’ victory after Muhammad Sulumba had given the visitors an early lead in the 15th minute in the presence of few supporters who were allowed to watch the match amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was a game that ended Civil’s unbeaten run in the ongoing season and the result saw Pasuwa’s side displacing Civo from second position to third in the standings.
Speaking during the post-match interview, Pasuwa was not surprised at how the Lilongwe-based side tried to frustrate Bullets at home from first whistle.
“A very hard-fought victory. But once again we have been telling the players that games are going to be tough for us. We couldn’t circulate the ball, but the good thing was our response when they took the lead over us. We replied early [two minutes after they opened the scoreline] and also scored the winning goal in the dying minutes of the match, but we need to do more interms of keeping the ball away from opponents,” reacted the coach.
“These guys were playing rule to one touch football where every time they by-passed the central link going forward and we couldn’t deal with it, but when we introduced the substitutes, it worked very good for us as we attacked and got the ball,” he explained the tactic he made to collect maximum points.
Pasuwa made two changes to the side that defeated Ekwendeni Hammers 0-1 away in Mzuzu last week through Gomezgani Chirwa’s last minute goal, and the tactician emphasized on the need to manage the players at a crucial stage of the season.
“I have been talking of managing players. Remember we are playing games week in, week out and we have also been traveling. The last game was played on a very muddy pitch, which was very heavy on the boys and on the recovery part of it to some of the guys, considering age among other factors, we need to manage them well in order for them to finish the season,” he explained when asked on the changes he made.
The People’s Team kept the eight-year unbeaten home run intact, but the mentor said his team should continue striving for more success rather than relying on past glory.
Pasuwa was delighted to have ended Civil’s unbeaten run, but advised his players to move on and focus on the upcoming fixtures. Bullets will be away to Mighty Wanderers at Kamuzu Stadium next Saturday, before traveling to Lilongwe to face Silver Strikers the other week. The final fixture in the first-round will be at home against TN Stars.
“Definitely sure [I am happy that we broke their 12 game unbeaten record], but again we shouldn’t have to forget next games that are coming. We look at each game as it comes. Good to the boys for beating Civil Sporting Club because this was a very good response to pre-match taunts from the opponents, so congratulations to them, but we move on from this and focus on the next match.”
Bullets have now collected 25 points from twelve games, with three games to go before wrapping up the first-round of the 2020/21 season. With 28 points from the same number of games, Silver Striker occupy top spot and Civo come third.
