FCB Nyasa Big Bullets return to FDH Bank Premiership action on Monday as we welcome Masters FC to Mpira Stadium for our first competitive match in Blantyre this season.
The fixture renews a familiar rivalry following Masters’ return to the top flight under a new identity after acquiring Baka City’s Premiership status ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Beyond the battle for league points, Monday’s fixture reunites Bullets with several familiar faces.
Peter Mponda returns to Mpira Stadium after previously serving as Bullets head coach, while Victor Mphande is back in familiar surroundings as Masters’ goalkeepers’ coach. Former Bullets captain Precious Sambani is also among a number of players in the visitors’ squad with ties to The People’s Team, adding another layer of intrigue to the contest.
For Bullets, the focus is on building momentum after last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Kamuzu Barracks handed Wedson Nyirenda his first league win as head coach.
The People’s Team remain unbeaten after seven league matches and will be looking to record back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.
Form Guide
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets remain unbeaten in the 2026/27 FDH Bank Premiership, having opened the campaign with a 2-2 draw against Civil Service United, a 1-0 victory over MAFCO FC, a 2-1 win over Mighty Wanderers, a goalless draw with Red Lions, and 1-1 draws against Blue Eagles and Moyale Barracks.
The People’s Team have collected 13 points from their opening seven matches, scoring nine goals and conceding six.
After taking charge ahead of Matchweek 7, head coach Wedson Nyirenda marked his league debut with a 2-1 victory over Kamuzu Barracks in Lilongwe last weekend.
We now return to Mpira Stadium looking to secure back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.
Masters made a strong start to the campaign, winning each of their opening three league matches.
They beat Chitipa United 1-0, Karonga United 2-1 and Luanar Mitundu 2-0 before their unbeaten run was ended by Silver Strikers.
Mponda’s side responded with a 4-0 victory over Goshen City Dedza Dynamos, but consecutive defeats to Ekhaya FC and Creck Sporting Club have slowed their momentum heading into Monday’s fixture.
After winning their opening three matches, Masters briefly topped the early FDH Bank Premiership standings before recent defeats saw them slip to sixth.
Masters have scored 10 goals and conceded nine in seven matches.
Head-To-Head
Although Masters now compete under a new identity, meetings between the two clubs date back to the Masters Security era.
Bullets enjoyed the upper hand in the sides’ most recent league meetings in 2019, drawing 0-0 at Dedza Stadium before recording a 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture.
The sides also produced memorable contests in 2018.
Masters Security became the first side to end Bullets’ unbeaten league run that season with a 1-0 victory before eliminating Maule from the Carlsberg Cup at the semifinal stage, winning 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Earlier that year, The People’s Team had claimed a 2-0 league victory, while a pre-season friendly between the sides also ended in a 2-0 win for Bullets.
In December 2017, Bullets were awarded a 2-0 victory after Masters Security failed to fulfil a league fixture.
History has favoured The People’s Team in this fixture.
In league meetings, we have recorded four wins, three draws and just one defeat against Masters, while also winning a pre-season friendly between the sides.
Masters’ biggest success came in the 2018 Carlsberg Cup semifinal, where they advanced 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
The Numbers That Matter
Bullets are unbeaten in seven FDH Bank Premiership matches this season and have kept three clean sheets during that run.
Masters have scored 10 goals and conceded nine in their opening seven league matches.
After winning their opening three fixtures, the visitors have lost three of their last four league matches.
Bullets are seeking back-to-back league victories for the first time this season.
Team News
Bullets head into Monday’s fixture with a largely settled squad following another productive week on the training ground.
The People’s Team will, however, be without midfielders Paul Master and Madalitso Safuli, who have both been ruled out of the Matchweek 8 encounter.
There was encouraging news on the injury front this week, with Dastan Banda returning to full training with the rest of the squad.
Meanwhile, Ahamad Kung’unde continues his recuperation programme as he works towards a return to full training.
Masters will be without experienced midfielder Rafick Namwera, who sustained an injury during last weekend’s defeat to Creck Sporting Club.
Nyirenda still has a strong squad at his disposal as competition for places remains fierce.
Tactical Focus
Bullets will be looking to build on the encouraging signs shown in last weekend’s victory.
Maule started on the front foot, pressed aggressively and dominated the opening half, creating several goalscoring opportunities and winning nine corner kicks before the break.
The challenge now is to reproduce that intensity over a longer period against a Masters side eager to respond to successive league defeats.
Our visitors have shown they possess a genuine attacking threat, with Hastings Ndau leading their scoring charts after his hat-trick against Goshen City Dedza Dynamos.
Former Bullets midfielder Patrick Phiri remains the creative heartbeat of Masters, while experienced forward Stain Davie provides another attacking outlet in the final third.
Coach’s Thoughts
Head coach Wedson Nyirenda says the focus is on turning Bullets’ unbeaten run into a stronger winning run.
“We are unbeaten, but I am not satisfied. Being unbeaten with too many draws is almost like a loss.
“We need to remain unbeaten by winning matches. Now that we have secured our first league victory together, we have to maintain that mentality.
“We do not want to return to drawing games. We want to keep moving forward by winning.”
Opposition View
Masters head coach Peter Mponda says his side is determined to respond positively after suffering back-to-back league defeats to Ekhaya FC and Creck Sporting Club.
Despite the recent setbacks, Mponda believes his players have responded well in training and are ready for the challenge of facing Bullets in Blantyre.
“The boys are responding very well. They know this is the time to get things right. I was expecting to see them a little disappointed after those two defeats, but they are professionals and the way they are training, I am very happy with their response.
“It’s very important for us to go to Blantyre and get a positive result. We lost because we were not good enough on the day against Ekhaya, and we were disappointed again against Creck, but those games are behind us. Now we have to give a performance that earns us a positive result.”
Key Battle
The midfield contest could prove decisive on Monday afternoon.
Bullets will look to dictate possession, press aggressively and move the ball forward quickly, while the visitors will rely on their creative outlets and attacking transitions.
Limiting Phiri’s influence while cutting off the supply line to Ndau and Davie could prove decisive.
What’s At Stake
Victory would extend Bullets’ unbeaten league start to eight matches and secure consecutive league wins for the first time this season.
It would also strengthen our position in the early-season standings while providing further evidence of the progress being made under Nyirenda.
For Masters, the fixture offers an opportunity to end a run of back-to-back defeats and claim another statement result after their impressive start to life under their new identity.
Match Officials
Referee: Mwayi Msungama
Assistant Referee 1: Happiness Mbandambanda
Assistant Referee 2: Mphatso Mmangisa
Fourth Official: Marko Dzimbasekwa
Match Assessor: Fanny Minandi
Match Details
Competition: FDH Bank Premiership
Fixture: FCB Nyasa Big Bullets vs Masters FC
Venue: Mpira Stadium
Date: Monday, 29 June 2026
Kick-off: 14:30
How To Follow
Supporters can follow the match across our official digital platforms for live updates, highlights and post-match coverage.
The match will be broadcast live on Mpira TV and streamed online on FIFA+.
Follow live updates on our Facebook, X, Instagram and WhatsApp Channel, with a full match report, reaction and highlights available on nyasabigbullets.com after the final whistle.
