Kalisto Pasuwa says Nyasa Big Bullets are going to Dwangwa to face MAFCO on Sunday in the second leg of the Airtel Top 8 with the mindset that the tie is at 0-0.
Bullets take a 3-1 advantage into the return leg of the quarter-final clash after the two sides met at Kamuzu Stadium on November 6.
The People’s Team will leave Blantyre on Saturday morning to look for a place in the semi-final away at Chitowe and Pasuwa looked to the decisive second meeting with the Salima-based military side.
“We played against them and won 3-1 at home a fortnight ago. It’s a very good team and we can’t underestimate them, especially this time around when they will be playing at their backyard.
“Remember we have been struggling when playing these type of teams and that’s the reason why we are travelling to Dwangwa with a 0-0 mindset because if we go there with the mentality of a two goal lead, then it will be a setback in terms of how we are going to approach the game,” Pasuwa told club media.
“It’s a match that we need to put everything together in order for us to win. We are facing a very physical team, but playing at Chitowe, which has a good surface is also an advantage to us and we will see good football from both teams, like the way we played in the first leg where the boys were able to start from the back and going forward. We are looking forward to the match and we are very optimistic of progressing to the semi-finals,” added the Zimbabwean.
With a few faces on the sidelines due to injuries, including the recent casualty Chimango Kayira, who is recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered during the TNM Super League tie against Kamuzu Barracks last month, the Bullets head coach provided some team news ahead of the trip, disclosing that he has almost the full squad.
“From the squad that we have been working with, each and every one [except Chimango and Pilirani Zonda] is fit enough to be selected for this trip. We had a number of players with knocks in the first leg, but they have been doing well preparing for the next tie and everyone is looking forward to the match.”
On Friday Bullets welcomed Ernest Kakhobwe, Gomegzani Chirwa, Chimwemwe Idana and Hassan Kajoke, who were away on international duty with the Malawi senior team in the 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifiers against Cameroon and Mozambique in South Africa and Benin, respectively.
The last time Bullets met MAFCO at Chitowe was in 2020 during a friendly match in which The People’s Team scored in the dying minutes to secure a 0-1 victory through Patrick Phiri.
Bullets are eyeing their first Airtel Top 8 which they have never won since the introduction of the cup, which they almost secured in 2018 but lost to Blue Eagles in the final of the second edition before the team was banned from participating the following year due to violence that erupted at Bingu National Stadium against Eagles.
