FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Peter Mponda admitted his side “didn’t turn up” in Sunday’s 3-0 Blantyre Derby defeat to Mighty Wanderers at Kamuzu Stadium, acknowledging that the team fell below its usual standards.
It was a difficult afternoon for The People’s Team, who suffered their first three-goal defeat to their rivals in many years — and the first double loss in a league season for over a decade.
“They Deserved to Win”
Speaking after the match, Mponda congratulated Wanderers head coach Bob Mpinganjira and conceded that his team was second-best on the day.
“First of all, let me congratulate Bob Mpinganjira for the job well done. They played well, and they deserved to win. The way we played today, I don’t think we deserved anything. The performance was below par, and we need to work on these mistakes before our next fixture,” he said.
Defensive Errors Costly
Throughout the game, Bullets’ backline struggled to deal with Wanderers’ pressing and pace, committing unforced errors that put goalkeeper Innocent Nyasulu under constant pressure.
Mponda, however, defended his players, insisting that mistakes are part of football and the team must learn from them.
“It’s part of the game. Mistakes happen. When one player slips, another has to cover, and today we didn’t do that well enough. Let’s be honest — our opponents were brilliant. They played good football, dominated the game, and deserved to win,” he explained.
“No Excuses — We Were Poor”
Asked about the overall display, Mponda was candid in his assessment, refusing to hide behind excuses.
“I wouldn’t say it was a lack of confidence because we’ve been winning games and the morale has been high. But we were simply poor today — we didn’t show up in a big game, and we paid the price,” he concluded.
What’s Next
The People’s Team will have a chance to make amends when they face Wanderers again at Kamuzu Stadium next Sunday in the FDH Bank Cup semi-finals.
Despite the setback, Bullets remain top of the TNM Super League table with 49 points from 21 games, just one point ahead of Wanderers, who have a game in hand.
