Nyasa Big Bullets will look to build from their good home record against Civil Service Club when the two teams tussle for points in the 2020/21 TNM Super League at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The People’s Team, who are coming from a hard-fought 0-1 victory over Ekwendeni Hammers, have had results against Civo in their favour for the past five seasons.
The game against the Lilongwe-based side will also represent an opportunity for the defending champions to move into second position and close the gap with the log leaders Silver Strikers if three points are collected at the Soccer Mecca.
However, in the ongoing season, Saturday’s opponents are the only unbeaten side in the top flight and head coach Kalisto Pasuwa knows that his side will have to put an extra gear in order to collect full points.
“It’s one thing where we don’t need to look into it. As a team, we know that any team fights against us and for us to collect points we need to raise the tempo. We are playing against a very good side, which is now highly motivated because of their current form and we need to do more in order for us to collect points,” he told Bullets Media ahead of the game.
Bullets are unbeaten in league matches at home for the past eight seasons, but Pasuwa says his players shouldn’t rely on past glory.
“It’s a motivation to have such a record, but again we shouldn’t focus much on past glory. For those guys who were winning, they were working for it in order to keep the unbeaten record, so we [also] need to put everything in place for us to maintain that record,” he added.
Since the resumption of the games this month, after the league was suspended in January, Bullets have played four games, winning three and drawing once while keeping four clean sheets and scoring six goals.
The People’s Team has also moved from eighth position to third, collecting 22 points from eleven games. Pasuwa however believes his side can do more than this.
“We are coming good but again a coach is never impressed because we need results everyday. We try as much as we can to do more in order for us to keep on the momentum as we continue to climb the ladder,” he continued.
TEAM NEWS
Forward Hassan Kajoke, who returned from injury last week, Zicco Mkanda and Meshack Seleman are doubts ahead of Saturday’s game. Mkanda and Seleman picked up knocks in Mzuzu against Ekwendeni Hammers last weekend.
Apart from the trio, Bullets will still continue to play without Bright Munthali, who is working on his fitness, whilst Ernest Kakhobwe is also not part of the squad to face Civil Sporting on Saturday.
Pilirani Zonda, Lanjesi Nkhoma, Righteous Banda and Aziz Mwakifuna are all nursing long term injuries.
The previous two matches between the two teams produced seven goals, with The People’s Team winning the first round match 6-0 at home, before completing a double in Lilongwe with a 1-0 victory, a result which edged them closer towards the title defence last season.
FORM GUIDE
Bullets have won three out of the four matches played after the resumption of the league. The hosts moved from eighth position to third after collecting ten points from a possible twelve in the competition.
Saturday’s opposition has won two of their last four matches, with two ending in draws and are second in the standings with 24 points from twelve games.
Results from previous encounters:
2014 SEASON
Civil Sporting Club 2-2 Nyasa Big Bullets
Nyasa Big Bullets 2-0 Civil Sporting Club
2015 SEASON
Civil Sporting Club 1-3 Nyasa Big Bullets
Nyasa Big Bullets 2-1 Civil Sporting Club
2016 SEASON
Nyasa Big Bullets 1-0 Civil Sporting Club
Civil Sporting Club 0-2 Nyasa Big Bullets
2018 SEASON
Civil Sporting Club 1-2 Nyasa Big Bullets
Nyasa Big Bullets 2-1 Civil Sporting Club
2019 SEASON
Nyasa Big Bullets 6-0 Civil Sporting Club
Civil Sporting Club 0-1 Nyasa Big Bullets
Forward Kajoke has five goals scored over Civil Sporting Club, seconded by Chiukepo Msowoya with four goals to his name.
